At the end of August 2026, a bill proposing amendments to the Labour Code was submitted to the Bulgarian National Assembly. The proposal aims to provide a higher level of protection for employees working under fixed-term employment contracts when they are on leave due to pregnancy and childbirth, childcare, or adoption.
What Is the Issue Under the Current Legal Framework?
Under the existing regulations, a fixed-term employment contract terminates upon the occurrence of any of the grounds set out in Article 325(1), items 3, 4, or 5 of the Labour Code. This may occur even when the employee is on statutory leave related to maternity, childcare, or adoption.
As a result, employees on fixed-term contracts may find themselves in a less favourable position compared to employees with indefinite-term employment contracts, who benefit from a higher degree of employment protection.
What Is Being Proposed?
The bill provides that the termination of a fixed-term employment relationship should be deferred until the end of the relevant statutory leave period.
This means that if the grounds for termination arise while an employee is on maternity leave, childcare leave, or adoption leave, the employment contract will terminate on the day following the expiry of that leave.
Important: The proposal does not convert a fixed-term contract into an indefinite-term contract and does not alter its legal nature. It merely postpones the moment of termination until the relevant statutory leave has ended.
Once the leave period expires, the employment relationship will terminate automatically by operation of law.
Why Is the Change Necessary?
The primary objective is to provide greater security for working parents and adoptive parents during a period when they have a particular need for social and employment protection.
The proposed amendment is expected to:
- Strengthen the protection of maternity, parenthood, and adoption;
- Reduce the risk of employment termination during statutory leave;
- Provide greater predictability and security for young families;
- Promote equal treatment of employees on fixed-term and indefinite-term contracts;
- Facilitate a better balance between professional and family life.