Your contract
A written contract before you start work. Keep your own copy — always.
A written contract is your proof of everything — your job, your pay, your hours, your rights. Without it, a dishonest employer can later claim you agreed to anything. This is why getting it on paper, before you start, matters so much.
Key facts
- You must get a written contract — before, or right at, your first day.
- It must state your job, your wage, and your working hours.
- A spoken promise or a phone message alone is not a real contract.
- You should always keep your own signed copy.
- Probation periods are allowed but limited (usually up to 6 months).
In detail
What a real contract contains
A proper employment contract names you and the employer, your job, where you work, your start date, your wage, and your working hours. It must be in writing and signed by both sides. If it is only in Croatian and you cannot read it, ask for help to understand it before you sign — never sign blind.
No contract does not mean no rights
Even if an employer never gave you a written contract, you still have rights — the law treats real work as employment. If you worked, you are owed wages and protection. A missing contract is a violation by the employer, not by you, and it is strong evidence when you report them.
Warning signs
- You start work but never receive anything in writing.
- You are pushed to sign quickly, with no time to read.
- The contract says a lower wage than you were promised.
- The employer keeps the only signed copy.
What you can do
- Ask for the contract in writing before you start.
- Photograph every page once it is signed.
- Do not sign what you cannot read — get it explained first.
- If there is no contract, save proof you worked (photos, messages, witnesses).