📄 Can my employer dismiss me with no notice period and no compensation in Albania?

With conditions

Quick answer

Only an immediate termination with justified cause can skip the notice period. Otherwise, after probation, notice runs from 2 weeks (employment up to 6 months) to 3 months (over 5 years). Where the employer terminates after at least 3 years, seniority pay also arises: at least 15 days' salary for each full year worked. The myth: “every dismissal automatically gives you a full month's salary per year”. No — the legal minimum is 15 days' salary per year and it requires at least 3 years of service, with the employer ending the contract. Notice, procedure, seniority pay and compensation are four different things.

📋 The rules

After probation, notice is 2 weeks where employment lasted up to 6 months; 1 month from 6 months to 2 years; 2 months from 2 to 5 years; and 3 months beyond 5 years.
Before dismissing, the employer must notify the employee at least 72 hours before the meeting and hear them out.
The written decision is issued no earlier than 48 hours and no later than 1 week after the meeting, stating the reasons for termination.
Failing to follow the procedure carries compensation equal to 2 months' salary, on top of any other damages that may be claimed.
Where the employer terminates after at least 3 years, seniority pay is at least 15 days' salary for each full year of work.

🔓 Exceptions

For a serious breach, or repeated minor breaches despite a warning, immediate termination can be justified.
Seniority pay is lost where the immediate dismissal is justified by the employee's own fault.
An individual contract or collective agreement can grant a longer notice period or better compensation than the legal minimum.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

For a dismissal without reasonable cause, the court can award compensation of up to 1 year's salary, on top of the notice-period pay and the other entitlements. Failing to follow the procedure — the meeting with 72 hours' notice, the written decision within the deadlines — separately carries compensation of 2 months' salary. These are distinct rights with different conditions, and they can stack. The window is short: a claim is normally filed within 180 days of the end of the notice period, so delay destroys the right.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

How much notice am I owed?

It depends on seniority: 2 weeks up to 6 months of service, 1 month from 6 months to 2 years, 2 months from 2 to 5 years and 3 months beyond 5 years. These periods apply once the probation period has ended.

How much is seniority pay?

At least 15 days' salary for each full year of work, where the employer terminates after at least 3 years of service. It is lost where the immediate dismissal is justified by the employee's own fault.

Can they dismiss me immediately, with no notice?

Only with justified cause — a serious breach, or repeated minor breaches despite a warning. In other cases, the missing notice creates a payment obligation for the employer.

What if the employer skips the procedure?

If they do not notify you 72 hours before the meeting or do not issue the written decision within the deadlines, you are owed compensation of 2 months' salary. That is on top of any other damages you can claim.

How long do I have to file a claim?

A claim is normally filed within 180 days of the end of the notice period. If the court finds the dismissal was without reasonable cause, compensation can reach up to 1 year's salary.

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