Key changes in the Royal Decree on workplace transparency

The Royal Decree approved on 19 March 2026 aims to reinforce the right of workers to be informed, from the start of the employment relationship, about the essential conditions under which the work will be performed, in a clear, complete and understandable manner. This regulation implements the partial transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions, which fully repeals Royal Decree 1659/1998 and updates the regulatory framework to adapt it to new organizational and productive realities.

The regulation is based on the observation that existing information rights were insufficient in the face of greater flexibility, new forms of service provision and the increasing use of automated tools. Consequently, its main objective is to increase the transparency and predictability of working conditions, thereby reinforcing the legal security of workers.

The Royal Decree generally applies to employment relationships regulated by the Workers' Statute, although the reinforced information obligations generally apply to contracts longer than four weeks. However, specific provisions are introduced for certain sectors, such as fishery workers, for whom a specific regime with broader information requirements is established, applicable regardless of the duration of the contract.

The central focus of the reform is the expansion and greater level of detail of the information the company must provide in writing regarding contractual conditions and the performance of the work. Although this obligation can be considered fulfilled when the information is fully established in the contract, the level of detail required means that, in practice, standard contract templates must be reviewed and updated.

The information obligations regarding remuneration and working hours acquire particular importance. The employer must specify not only the base salary and bonuses but also the method of calculating variable components, particularly when automated or algorithmic systems are involved. Similarly, the predictability of the working hours is reinforced, and clear information about their duration and distribution, irregular work rhythms, shift changes, applicable notice periods, and, in the case of fixed-term contracts for intermittent work, the periods of activity and inactivity or an estimate of these are required.

The regulation also expands the minimum information requirements to include aspects such as the applicable equality plan, work-life balance policies that exceed the legal minimum, the procedure for contract termination, notice periods, and the complete identification of the applicable collective agreement, including its current validity or continuity.

Specific obligations are established for cases involving the provision of services abroad, which require that, before the assignment, information about the destination country, payment currency, economic compensation, repatriation conditions, and for assignments within the EU or EEA, the remuneration guaranteed by the host country's legislation.

Regarding deadlines, the Royal Decree tightens the deadlines for providing information, which must be given before the start of the employment relationship, and requires that any change is communicated in writing on the same day it comes into effect. Requirements regarding the format and accessibility of the information are also regulated, which can be communicated electronically and must be ensured to be comprehensible.

A new significant provision is that the regulation clarifies that the unilateral cancellation of duties by the employer without respecting the agreed notice period entitles the worker to receive their salary, in accordance with Article 30 of the Workers' Statute. Finally, a transitional regime is established allowing workers with existing contracts to request the expanded information, which must be provided within a maximum of fifteen working days.

In general, the Royal Decree represents a significant step towards a model of more transparent and predictable labour relations, with a direct impact on hiring, human resource management and companies' internal information systems.

Article from the Labour Law Department of ECIJA Madrid.