Imagine a future where all your employment history data is accessible at the click of a button, without the need for paper, stamps, and administrative procedures. This future is now a reality. From June 1, 2026, the employment record book, familiar to generations of Bulgarians, will give way to the unified “electronic employment record”—a digital register that will store all information about each worker’s employment path.
This change not only modernizes the labour system but also sets new standards for transparency and security in labour relations. These electronic employment record books will be integrated into the newly created employment register.
Each person will have the opportunity to check and track the information stored in their personal electronic record.
Requirements for Employers
According to the new regulations, by June 1, 2026, all employers are required to finalize and complete the employment record books of their employees, returning them to their holders.
The final entry in the book must clearly state, in numbers and words, the duration of the employee’s service with the respective employer as of June 1, 2025. This entry must be signed by the chief accountant and the employer, and stamped if the company has a seal.
Employers will be able to receive information about their employees provided by previous employers. The specific scope of the data and the method of access will be specified in a regulation adopted by the Council of Ministers.
It is important to note that the new employer will not have the right to see details about the remuneration and benefits the employee received at previous workplaces.
Deadlines – Summary
By June 1, 2026, or upon termination of the employment relationship between June 1, 2025, and June 1, 2026, employers must complete the employment record books of their employees.
They must record, in numbers and words, the duration of service as of June 1, 2025, with the entry certified by the signatures of the chief accountant and the employer. After completion, the employment record book is immediately returned to the employee.
If after June 1, 2025, the employment record book is lost or destroyed, the Labor Inspectorate issues a new one. Data on service acquired before this date is entered based on a declaration application from the worker, accompanied by certificates from employers and other original documents containing the necessary information. This was finally adopted by the National Assembly.
For civil servants, appointment authorities have until December 31, 2026, or upon termination of employment between June 1, 2026, and the end of the year, to complete service books. They must record the length of service as of June 1, 2026.
Additionally, from January 1, 2026, appointment authorities have six months to enter all service book data into the new employment register. This applies to records issued under the Civil Servants Act, regardless of the institution that processed them.
Electronic Employment Record Books – Content
The Labor Code regulates the content of each unified electronic employment record, which will include the worker’s or employee’s name, personal identifier, employer identifier and name, employment contract basis, date of contract conclusion and commencement, as well as the contract term if applicable. Additionally, the electronic record will contain:
- date of conclusion of additional agreements;
- date and reason for termination of employment;
- amount of base salary;
- code of the occupied position according to the National Classification of Professions and Positions;
- code of the primary economic activity of employment, according to the Classification of Economic Activities approved by the National Statistical Institute;
- code of the locality of the workplace based on the Unified Classifier of Administrative-Territorial and Territorial Units;
- working hours duration;
- periods recognized as employment tenure and those not recognized;
- severance pay granted upon termination of employment under Article 222, paragraphs 2 and 3;
- garnishment notifications under Article 512, paragraph 5 of the Civil Procedure Code;
- agreed paid annual leave;
- days of used paid annual leave for the year of employment termination.
Conclusion
The transition to electronic employment record books marks a significant step in modernizing Bulgaria’s labour system. The new platform ensures convenience, transparency, and accessibility, eliminating the bureaucratic obstacles associated with paper employment record books. With the introduction of a digital register, both workers and employers will have a more efficient tool for managing employment information.
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