Notice period

In Spain, notice periods for domestic workers are governed by statutory minimum requirements that vary based on employment duration. When an employer decides to terminate a domestic worker whose employment has lasted more than one year, the employer must provide at least twenty days' prior written notice before the termination takes effect. For domestic workers employed for one year or less, the required notice period is seven days. This notice must be communicated directly to the worker at the time the termination decision is made.

These requirements are established under Spain's domestic workers employment framework, as detailed in the Domestic Workers Guide published by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones). The notice period rules apply uniformly across all domestic work arrangements in Spain, including live-in and live-out positions.

Employers must ensure that notice is formally communicated to the worker in writing and that the specified notice period elapses before the employment relationship terminates. During the notice period, the employment contract remains active and the worker continues to be entitled to their regular wages and benefits. Failure to provide the required notice period may expose employers to claims for wrongful termination or compensation for wages during the unobserved notice period. Payroll and HR teams managing domestic workers in Spain should document all termination notices with dates and delivery methods to maintain compliance with these statutory minimums and protect against disputes.