More information in employment contracts from October
On 5 October 2026, new rules enter into force that expand and clarify the information employers must provide to workers in writing about their working conditions. As a general rule, these obligations apply to employment relationships lasting more than four weeks.
Royal Decree 723/2026, published on 15 September, brings the Spanish framework into line with European legislation on transparent and predictable working conditions.
What changes in practice?
For fixed-term contracts, the existing obligation remains to specify precisely the grounds justifying the fixed-term nature of the contract, the specific circumstances supporting those grounds and their connection with the expected duration of the contract.
More information must also be provided about pay, particularly where variable components are involved, and about working hours: their duration, distribution and the procedures for changing them.
Employers must also explain the procedure for terminating the contract and the applicable notice periods.
Another change concerns algorithmic or automated decision-making systems. If these are used for matters such as task allocation, working hours, pay, career progression or contract termination, employers must disclose their existence and explain the guidelines, criteria and rules governing their operation.
The decree also expands the information that must be provided on other matters, such as the equality plan, the protocol on sexual harassment and harassment on grounds of sex and, where applicable, certain LGBTI measures.
Does everything have to be included in the contract?
Not necessarily. If this information is already correctly set out in the written contract, the obligation is considered fulfilled. Any missing information may be provided in one or more additional documents, on paper or electronically.
What happens to contracts already in force?
The entry into force of the decree does not automatically require all existing contracts to be redrafted.
For employment relationships already in place on 5 October, employers must provide this information when a worker requests it and does not already have it. In that case, they will have 30 working days from receipt of the request.
It therefore makes sense to review the contract templates and employment documentation currently in use to check what information is already being provided and which details will need to be added.
The aim of the new rules is to make employment relationships more predictable and transparent. In practical terms, clearly explaining conditions from the outset also helps reduce uncertainty and disputes during employment.