Assessing employment-relationship risks in Georgia is not a consulting methodology but numeric law: behind each risk stands a numbered article, and behind each violation a concrete fine bracket. A risk map built on the Labour Code consists of three layers: the risk events (Article 47 — grounds and rules of termination; Article 49 — mass dismissal), the priced exposure (Articles 77 and 78 — the fine matrix and triple penalties) and the perimeter (Article 1 — the law's scope and floor).
Risk Events — Articles 47 and 49
Termination of an employment contract is the most frequently contested risk, and Article 47 enumerates its grounds: economic, technological or organizational change requiring a reduction of the workforce; expiry of the term; completion of the work; the employee's own written departure; agreement of the parties; mismatch of qualification or professional skills; gross or repeated breach of an obligation imposed by the contract or internal rules; and other objective circumstances. For risk assessment one critical detail hides here: a breach of an obligation imposed by internal rules becomes a ground only where the rules are part of the contract. The second risk event is mass dismissal (Article 49): termination within 30 calendar days on grounds not conditioned by the person or conduct of the employee — with at least 10 employees in an organization of more than 20 but fewer than 100, or at least 10 percent where more than 100. A planned mass dismissal requires consultations, written information to the association or representatives, and prior notice to the minister and the affected employees at least 45 calendar days in advance — the dismissal takes effect after 45 calendar days from that notice.
Measuring Exposure — Articles 77 and 78
Every violation has a price. The brackets of Article 77: a natural person with income up to 100 000 GEL in the previous year — a fine of at least 200, not more than 400 GEL; with 100 000 GEL or more — at least 300, not more than 800 GEL; a VAT-registered employer with operations up to 100 000 GEL — at least 300, not more than 800 GEL; from 100 000 to 500 000 GEL — at least 400, not more than 900 GEL; above 500 000 GEL — at least 600, not more than 1 000 GEL; other cases — at least 200, not more than 400 GEL. A violation against a minor, a pregnant woman or a person with disabilities doubles the fine; repetition within a year doubles it again. In the discrimination contour Article 78 adds the highest multiplier: breach of the principles of non-discrimination — direct and indirect — harassment, sexual harassment, equal pay for equal work and reasonable accommodation, draws a triple fine, doubled on repetition; and an employer informed of harassment who fails to act also answers.
Risk assessment begins with the catalogue of termination grounds: economic, technological or organizational changes making a reduction of the workforce necessary; expiry of the term; completion of the work; agreement; mismatch of qualification or professional skills; a gross breach of duties; a repeated breach where a disciplinary measure has already been applied within the last 1 year; prolonged incapacity exceeding 40 consecutive calendar days or 60 calendar days in total within 6 months. A breach of duties imposed by internal rules is a ground only where the rules form part of the contract; and where termination rests on another objective circumstance, the employer must substantiate it in the written notice. The saving rule of the law deserves equal attention: no contract clause may prescribe norms that worsen the employee’s position compared with the statute — therefore every template, bonus scheme and internal policy must be read against the statutory floor, and every contemplated dismissal mapped to a ground the law actually names.
Perimeter and Floor — Article 1
The frame of the risk map is Article 1: the law governs employment relationships in Georgia; unregulated questions pass to the Civil Code; and worsening the employee's position by contract is prohibited. These three paragraphs determine where each risk line begins and ends — which is why our assessment is written as a table: event, article, fine bracket, mitigation measure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to the questions most often asked on this topic.
How is a risk priced?
By article: the event (e.g. groundless dismissal or a breached mass-dismissal procedure) plus the fine bracket from Articles 77 and 78, plus the mitigation measure.
What is the most expensive violation?
A breach in the discrimination contour — a triple fine under Article 78, doubled again on repetition.
Why is mass dismissal a separate risk?
Because Article 49 prescribes a procedure — consultations, information, 45-day advance notice — and skipping any step makes the whole measure disputable.
Can a contract allocate the risk?
Only within the law: worsening the employee's position is prohibited and the fine matrix is not filled by contract (Article 1).
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team performs employment risk assessment in exactly this numeric language: we build a risk table by article, attach a fine bracket to every line, and write mitigation measures that rest on the articles rather than general recommendations. Contact Legal.ge — a risk is managed when its price is known in advance.