🇮🇹 Your rights in Italy

Equal pay

Italian law and the Constitution give women the right to the same pay as men for the same work or work of equal value. Discrimination in pay is prohibited by the Code of Equal Opportunities (Codice delle pari opportunità).

• Larger companies must submit periodic reports on the employment situation of men and women, including pay.
• Companies can obtain a gender equality certification, which comes with incentives.
• New EU pay transparency rules are being brought into Italian law and should strengthen your right to pay information.

If you suspect unequal pay, you can contact your union, the equality adviser (consigliera di parità) for your area, or the labour inspectorate, or bring a claim before the labour court. Time limits can apply, so get advice early.

Harassment at work

Harassment and sexual harassment at work are treated as discrimination under the Code of Equal Opportunities. Employers must ensure working conditions that protect the dignity of workers and take preventive measures.

• Acts taken against you because you rejected or reported harassment, such as dismissal or demotion, are invalid.
• You can be supported by the equality adviser (consigliera di parità) for your region or province.
• Some forms of harassment, such as stalking or sexual violence, are crimes.

Keep a record of incidents, messages and witnesses. You can report internally, contact your union, approach the equality adviser, or go to the labour court. Strict deadlines apply to challenging a dismissal, so get advice quickly.

Pregnancy and maternity

Italian law gives strong protection to pregnant workers and new mothers.

• There is a period of compulsory maternity leave (congedo di maternità) around the birth, with an allowance usually paid through INPS.
• You generally cannot be dismissed from the start of pregnancy until the child is one year old, except in limited cases such as the closure of the business.
• A resignation during this protected period must be confirmed with the labour inspectorate to be valid.
• You may not be assigned to dangerous or heavy work during pregnancy and for a period after birth.
• Both parents can take parental leave (congedo parentale), partly paid.

You also have rights to daily rest periods for breastfeeding during the child's first year. Tell your employer about your pregnancy with a medical certificate.

Flexible work

Italy regulates agile work (lavoro agile or smart working), which is based on an individual agreement with your employer. There is no general right to work remotely, but employers that offer agile work must give priority to certain workers, such as parents of young children and carers of people with disabilities.

• You may be able to switch from full-time to part-time work, and some workers, such as those with serious illnesses, have a stronger right to do so.
• Collective agreements often set out further rules on flexible hours.
• Workers who request agile work must not be penalised for doing so.

Make your request in writing and keep a copy. A union or employment adviser can tell you what your collective agreement provides.

Protection from domestic abuse

Italian law provides several protections against domestic violence and stalking.

• You can report abuse to the police or carabinieri. The Codice Rosso law requires investigators to act quickly on reports of domestic and gender violence.
• Courts can order an abuser to leave the family home and not approach you, as a criminal precautionary measure.
• In civil proceedings, the court can issue protection orders against family abuse (ordini di protezione contro gli abusi familiari).
• The police chief (Questore) can issue a formal warning (ammonimento) to someone accused of stalking or domestic violence.

Anti-violence centres offer free, confidential help. The 1522 helpline is free and available day and night. In an emergency, call 112.

Separation and divorce

In Italy, ending a marriage traditionally involves two steps: legal separation (separazione) followed, after a period, by divorce. Recent reforms allow some couples to request both in the same proceedings.

• If you agree, you can separate or divorce by mutual consent, including through assisted negotiation with lawyers or, in some cases, before the municipal registrar.
• If you do not agree, a judge decides.
• Courts can order maintenance for a spouse who lacks adequate income and child support.
• Custody is usually shared, but the court decides based on the child's interests and must take violence into account.

The family home is usually assigned with regard to the children's interests. Property rights depend on whether you chose community or separation of property.

Legal aid and free legal help

State-funded legal aid (patrocinio a spese dello Stato) covers lawyer's fees in civil, criminal and family cases if your income is below a set limit.

• Victims of certain crimes, including domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking, can access legal aid regardless of income.
• Applications are made through the bar association (Consiglio dell'Ordine degli Avvocati) for civil cases, or the court for criminal cases.

Other free help includes anti-violence centres, which often have lawyers who can advise, union advice offices (patronati and union legal services) for workplace issues, the equality adviser for discrimination at work, and some municipal legal information services.