Recruiting and hiring is a complex process in any country, especially in one where you are trying to expand. In Croatia, strong laws protect against discrimination and other employment practices. To stay compliant, a company needs to understand every aspect of these laws before hiring employees in Croatia.
Recruiting in Croatia
If you’re in charge of hiring for your business in Croatia, you need to know the right places to post jobs. Many potential candidates will share their resume directly with a company through email. A company should post available positions on its website and have current employees refer talented candidates.
The country has many different job portals that organize listings into separate categories depending on the business branch. Some of the most popular job posting websites include Bika, MojPosao, Oglasnik, and Nova Karijera.
Background checks
Employers may carry out background checks as long as the information requested is available through government bodies or is publicly available and related to employment. Unless authorized by law, an employer cannot require a criminal background check. It is common to talk to a candidate’s previous employers and ask for written school reports, a university degree, and recommendations.
Your candidates must notify you about any disease or other health condition that could interfere with their ability to do the job. During the application process, you can ask the potential employee to undergo a medical exam, but you must pay for the cost.
Laws against discrimination in Croatia
Croatia’s employment laws include provisions against discrimination. Both the Anti-Discrimination Act and the Employment Act prohibit discrimination based on:
- Race
- Gender
- Language
- Religion
- Politics
- Property
- Trade union membership
- Education
- Marital and family status
- Sexual orientation
Make sure that you don’t ask any questions in an interview or on an application that could lead to discrimination. Only ask questions that relate to a person’s qualifications and ability to do the job they are applying for. The same pertains to any third party you work with, as you could face penalties for their actions.
How to hire employees in Croatia
A company cannot hire any employees or begin operations until it has an entity set up in country and the business is registered. The process to set up a subsidiary takes months to a year, but once you’re ready, hiring starts with getting specific personal information from your prospective employees. In line with Croatia employment law, you’ll then need to draft an employment contract that includes:
- The employee’s permanent residence
- A description of the job
- Place of work
- Date of hiring and termination for a definite duration contract
- Amount of paid annual leave
- Salary
- Working hours
- Notice periods
Croatia employment laws
Employment law forbids discrimination, so employers need to make sure all policies are legally compliant. Before hiring employees in Croatia, make sure to have the right procedures and training to handle discrimination and harassment and other employment issues in the office.
The law requires companies to provide a written employment contract in Croatian or dual language that clearly states all the terms of employment. All wages and compensation amounts should be stated in euros instead of an alternative international currency.
Onboarding in Croatia
After hiring employees, you’ll need to figure out the best way to onboard them. While there is no right or wrong way, it’s best to go over the employment contract with employees before their first day, as well as provide the employee with any internal regulations or company policies.
Benefits of using an EOR in Croatia
Waiting to set up a subsidiary before hiring take months and potentially over a year. Top talent may look to other places instead of waiting for you to set up your subsidiary. Alternatively, you can work with G-P for your Croatia expansion.
We use our already-established subsidiaries to hire employees in Croatia on your behalf. Our Global Growth Platform™ allows us to run payroll, handle HR processes and taxes, and more. We ensure you remain compliant with local laws so you can grow your company with peace of mind.
Grow globally with G-P.
G-P never forgets that behind every hire is a human being. That’s why we’ve backed our fully customizable suite of global employment products with our robust team of HR and legal experts, so we can remain at your side, ready to support you as you build your global teams. With the #1 Global Growth Platform™, you have the recruitment tools and services you need to find your perfect full-time or contract match.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you recruit, hire, and onboard anyone, anywhere.