勞動契約與試用期 — Hungary (匈牙利)

Applicable law: Munka Törvénykönyve (Labor Code, Act I of 2012, "Mt."), Polgári Törvénykönyv (Civil Code, Act V of 2013).
Currency: Hungarian Forint (HUF).
EU context: EU member state. EU Directive 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions applies; Hungarian law generally meets the minimums.

1. 主要法源

2. 核心規定

2.1 契約類型 (Contract Types)

不定期契約 (Indefinite-term Contract)

🟢 — Mt. §45(2): Default form. If no fixed term is specified, the contract is indefinite.

定期契約 (Fixed-term Contract)

🟢 — Mt. §192:

🟡 — Courts apply a "legitimate employer interest" test for serial renewals.

🟠 — Common in project-based and seasonal work. Courts increasingly strict on serial renewals.

臨時工 (Temporary Agency Work)

🟢 — Mt. Chapter XVIII (§214–222):

• Agency must hold a license from the National Employment Service
• Assignment to a single user enterprise cannot exceed 5 years
• Equal treatment obligation with direct hires after qualifying period

2.2 書面要求與必要條款 (Written Form & Mandatory Clauses)

🟢 — Mt. §44(1): Employment contract must be in writing. Failure to use written form may be invoked by the employee within 30 days.

Mandatory content (Mt. §45):

1. Base salary (alapbér) — at least statutory minimum wage
2. Job title / position (munkakör)

🟢 — Additional terms implied by law if not specified:

• Place of work: employer's registered seat
• Working hours: full-time (8 hours/day)
• Duration: indefinite

🟡 — Employer must inform the employee in writing within 15 days of commencement of additional conditions per EU Directive 2019/1152 transposition.

2.3 試用期長度與規則 (Probation Period)

🟢 — Mt. §45(5):

Key rules:

• Must be stipulated in the employment contract at signing
• Cannot be agreed retroactively or extended unilaterally
• For fixed-term contracts, cannot exceed half the contract duration
• Runs in calendar days

🟠 — 3 months is standard across most industries. 6-month extension via CBA is rare.

2.4 試用期終止條件 (Probation Termination Rules)

🟢 — Mt. §79(1)(a):

• Either party may terminate with immediate effect, without reason
• No notice period required
• Must be communicated in writing
• Must occur within the probation period

Restrictions:

• 🟢 — Anti-discrimination rules apply (protected characteristics)
• 🟡 — Courts allow challenge if termination violates good faith or constitutes discrimination

🟠 — Employers provide informal feedback during probation termination to reduce litigation risk.

2.5 定期契約續約上限 (Fixed-term Renewal Cap)

🟢 — Mt. §192: Total duration including extensions: maximum 5 years.

🟡 — The Kúria has established:

• Each extension must serve a legitimate employer interest
• Contracts aimed at circumventing indefinite employment protections are abusive
• Brief interruptions do not reset the 5-year clock

2.6 競業禁止 (Non-compete)

🟢 — Mt. §228:

🟠 — Courts strike down vague scope or inadequate compensation. Market practice often provides 50%+ of salary.

2.7 電子契約效力 (E-contract Validity)

🟢 — Act CCXXII of 2015 (transposing eIDAS): qualified electronic signatures are equivalent to handwritten.

🟠 — Qualified e-signatures are valid for employment contracts. Simple "click to agree" does not satisfy written form.

🔴 — Practical acceptance of advanced (non-qualified) e-signatures for employment contracts remains unclear.

3. 立法理由與實務見解

2012 Labor Code Reform

The Mt. (Act I of 2012) replaced the 1992 Labor Code, introducing:

• Greater employer flexibility
• Simplified mandatory contract content (only base salary and job title)
• Extended fixed-term cap from 3 to 5 years
• Strengthened collective agreements' ability to modify statutory provisions

試用期定位

Hungarian law treats probation as a mutual assessment period. Immediate termination right reflects the view that both parties should exit quickly if unsuitable.

實務灰色地帶

• Serial fixed-term: No explicit limit on number of renewals within 5-year cap; courts examine totality of circumstances
• Re-employment probation: New probation allowed only if position is substantially different from previous role

4. 雇主合規重點

• 🟢Contract in written form with base salary and job title
• 🟢Probation clause at signing, not added later
• 🟢Fixed-term total ≤ 5 years (including renewals)
• 🟢Written information on additional terms within 15 days
• 🟢Non-compete: written, max 2 years, compensation ≥ 1/3 of base salary
• 🟢Probation termination in writing and within the probation period
• 🟠Document justification for each fixed-term renewal
• 🟠Track probation expiry to avoid accidental continuation

5. 與其他轄區的關聯

• 與 Czech Republic：🔷 相似 — Both require written contracts; Hungary allows longer non-competes but shorter probation.

6. 風險警示

• 🔴Contract not in writing: Employee may invoke invalidity within 30 days; employer cannot
• 🔴Probation clause added after start: Void; full termination protections apply from day one
• 🟡Serial fixed-term abuse: Courts may declare indefinite + order reinstatement and back pay
• 🟡Non-compete under-compensation: Below 1/3 of base salary → agreement voidable
• 🟡Late probation termination: Notice delivered after expiry = ordinary dismissal requiring grounds

7. 資料來源清單

1. Munka Törvénykönyve (Act I of 2012) — Nemzeti Jogszabálytár
2. CMS — Labour law in Hungary
3. Accace — Labour law in Hungary 2025
4. L&E Global — Employment Law Overview Hungary
5. Paul Hastings — Hungary Employment
6. Skuad — Employment Laws Hungary 2025

8. 待確認事項

• 🔴 — Whether advanced (non-qualified) e-signatures satisfy written form for employment contracts
• 🔴 — Specific thresholds the Kúria applies for "abusive" serial fixed-term renewals
• 🔴 — Whether re-employment probation is permissible when same job title but different duties