In the dynamic economic environment, connecting businesses with motivated employees can sometimes be a challenge. At the same time, young individuals are seeking for opportunities to gain professional experience and learn new skills in real professional environment.
The Employment Agreement for Internship can be an effective tool for businesses to develop staff and young individuals to make a promising carrier start without each party taking long-term-binging engagements at the very beginning. The internship can be a chance for both employers and interns.
What the Bulgarian legislation provides for the internship?
1. General Overview of the Internship
Internship is performance of work under the instructions of the employer, or a person designated by the employer – mentor – with the objective of acquisition of practical skills in a profession or specialty.
A mentor can be a person from the same enterprise having qualification in the same or similar profession subject to the internship, having at least three years length of service or professional experience in such profession.
The relations between the employer and the mentor shall be regulated by an annex to the employment agreement of the latter, where working hours distribution and other conditions of the internship are provided.
2. Internship Conditions
2.1 Requirements for the intern – the intern shall:
- be of age less than 29 years,
- have graduated secondary or higher schools and
- have no employment service periods or professional experience in their profession or specialty.
2.2 Employment Agreement for Internship and requirements:
The employers sign Employment Agreement for Internship with individuals who comply with the criteria under point 2.1 above.
The Employment Agreement for Internship is an employment agreement with some particularities.
The Employment Agreement for Internship shall:
- be for work at a position corresponding to the qualification of the employee – the individual’s education shall correspond to their position in the company;
- be signed with the same individual for the same position and qualification only once;
- be signed with the same individual for the same position and qualification only once;
- determine the way in which practical skills will be acquired in the process of work, the name and position of the mentor, the duration of the agreement, as well as other conditions related to the internship;
- contain the legally provided contents of every employment agreement under Article 66, para. 1 of the Bulgarian Labour Code (LC).
The duration of the Employment Agreement for Internship cannot be less than 6 and more than 12 months – it is an employment agreement for definite term.
The intern is considered a full employee under the LC, meaning they are entitled to:
- social security contributions;
- paid leave;
- working hours regulation,
- minimum remuneration requirements;
The Employment Agreement for Internship can be terminated on the grounds provided in the LC for termination of employment agreements. In addition, the Employment Agreement for Internship can be terminated by either party with 15-days written notification sent to the other party (shorter notification). The protection for the employees under Article 333 of the LC is not applicable in cases of termination of the Employment Agreement for Internship.
The National Revenue Agency shall be notified for signing and termination of an Employment Agreement for Internship like any other employment agreement.
3. Obligation for Issuance of a Recommendation
Within 14 days after termination of the Employment Agreement for Internship, the employer issues to the intern a recommendation verifying the results of the internship.
There are no legal requirements what the recommendation shall contain.
4. The Relations Afterwards
The recommendation could be used by the individual in case of a work application before another employer.
However, a positive impression made by the intern during the performance of the Employment Agreement for Internship is often the reason for the employer to offer the signing of a regular employment agreement to the ex-intern.
The present article is for information purposes only. It is not a (binding) legal advice. For a thorough understanding of the subjects covered and prior acting on any issue discussed we kindly recommend Readers consult Ilieva, Voutcheva & Co. Law Firm attorneys at law.
