Hiring Employees in Latvia: Key Steps and Documents

Hiring a new employee is a joyful event – it signifies that the company is growing and developing. However, before the new colleague can sit down at their desk and start working, the employer must fulfill a series of bureaucratic requirements. An error at this stage can be costly – ranging from fines for unregistered employment to issues in labor disputes later on.

To ensure the process runs smoothly and in compliance with Latvian legislation, we have prepared a step-by-step guide for employee onboarding.

1. Employment Contract: The Foundation of Cooperation

The first and most important step is concluding a written employment contract. It is advisable to sign it before the employee actually begins work.

What must be included in the contract?

• Details (requisites) of both the employee and the employer.

• The start date of the employment relationship.

• The workplace (whether it is a specific office or remote work).

• Job title (according to the Classification of Occupations) and main duties.

• Remuneration and the time of payment.

• Working hours (regular, part-time, or aggregated working time).

• Probation period (maximum 3 months; in certain cases – up to 6).

2. Job Description: Clarity for Both Parties

Although duties can be briefly mentioned in the contract, it is best practice to prepare a separate job description.

Why is it important?

If an employee fails to perform their duties qualitatively, you cannot hold them accountable if there is no document where they have confirmed with a signature that they know exactly what they are required to do. The job description clarifies the boundaries of responsibility and requirements.

3. Registration with the SRS (The Critical Deadline!)

This is the stage where errors occur most frequently. According to the law, information about the employee must be submitted via the State Revenue Service (SRS) EDS system no later than one hour before the employee starts work. If SRS inspectors arrive for an inspection and find an employee working but the information has not yet been entered into the EDS – it is treated as unregistered employment.

4. Employment Order

To allow the accounting department to register the employee, assign a personnel number, and organize internal records, an employment order is prepared. It specifies the date, position, and salary based on the concluded employment contract.

5. Mandatory Health Check (MHC)

Before starting work, the employer must issue a health check card, and the employee must visit an occupational physician.

Important: The employee may only start work once the doctor’s opinion has been received, stating that their health condition corresponds to the work to be performed. This is critical for labor safety.

6. Briefings and Internal Regulations

Before the employee starts using tools or a computer, they must be briefed on:

• Labor Protection and Fire Safety: This must be signed for in the respective registers.

• Internal Working Regulations: The employee must familiarize themselves with the company’s internal order, organization of working hours, and other rules.

• Data Protection (GDPR): If the employee will work with client data, a confidentiality agreement must be signed.

7. Personnel File (Employee Card)

All these documents, as well as the employee's CV, copies of educational documents, and other related papers, must be collected in one place – the employee's personnel file. It must be stored securely, complying with personal data protection requirements.

Conclusion

As you can see, hiring a single employee requires the preparation of at least 5–7 different documents and registration in state systems. For a small business, this can take several hours of valuable time.

Amberfy offers full-service personnel records management. We prepare the entire package of necessary documents, register employees with the SRS, and keep track of deadlines so that you can simply shake hands with your new colleague and start working.