The Posted Workers Directive governs what happens when an employer in one member state sends an employee to work temporarily in another. The principle is that the posted worker should not undercut local standards: a defined set of the host country's employment terms applies to them for the duration.
What applies in the host country
- Remuneration as defined by host country law and, in some sectors, collective agreements
- Maximum working hours and minimum rest periods
- Minimum paid annual leave
- Health, safety and hygiene standards
- Rules on equal treatment and on conditions for hiring out workers
Notification and record-keeping
Postings usually have to be declared to the host country authorities in advance, through a national portal, with documentation available for inspection. Requirements differ by member state, and the administrative detail is where most non-compliance occurs. Long-term postings beyond a threshold duration attract a wider set of host country rules.
Why it matters when hiring internationally
This sits alongside, not instead of, the A1 certificate: A1 handles social security, the Directive handles employment terms. A company moving an employee from one European office to another for a project can find it owes host country pay rates and a prior notification it did not know existed. Where the arrangement is genuinely long-term, local employment is usually the cleaner answer than a prolonged posting.