Can Employment Contracts be backdated in Romania?

At Horizons, we prioritize full legal compliance in every country where we operate. Romania’s labor laws are among the more stringent in Europe, particularly regarding the formalization and registration of employment agreements. One common question we receive from clients is whether employment contracts in Romania can be backdated.


Legal Requirements for Employment Contracts in Romania

Under Romanian labor law (Codul Muncii), all employment relationships must be formalized through a written individual employment contract that is signed before the employee begins work. Moreover, the employer is legally obligated to register the employment contract in the government’s electronic labor registry (Revisal) no later than one working day prior to the employee’s start date.


This requirement is mandatory and applies to all employers, regardless of company size or industry.


Risks of Backdating Employment Contracts

Backdating a contract to reflect a start date prior to when it was signed or registered is considered a breach of Romanian labor regulations. If an employee performs any work before the contract is legally in effect, this is treated as undeclared work (“muncă nedeclarată”), which carries significant penalties.

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