Do you often struggle with high staff turnover or finding the right people for your roles?
Salary costs and the current economic context may make you more cautious about hiring, even though you need new colleagues in your team. However, there is also good news. The laws adopted in March 2026 change the way you look at recruitment: you receive monthly subsidies for hiring NEET young people (Not in Education, Employment or Training – without studies, a job, or training), for hiring unemployed individuals, and for people from vulnerable categories. At the same time, thanks to tax incentives, you can expand your benefits package, with certain costs covered by the state.
These legal changes create a context in which hiring young people without experience, unemployed individuals, or people from vulnerable categories can become an efficient business decision, not just a social one.
What types of hires are concretely supported, what amounts you can receive, and how these facilities can be integrated into your company’s benefits strategy are explained by Ioana Dobre, Senior Consultancy Manager BIA HCS.
Hiring young people without experience? You get money for their salaries
Salary costs are probably the main obstacle to expanding your team. In 2026, part of this cost will be directly covered by the state if you choose to hire colleagues from certain categories.
Emergency Ordinance no. 11/2026 provides:
Employers who hire, on an indefinite period, unemployed individuals over the age of 50, unemployed individuals who are single parents supporting single-parent families, long-term unemployed individuals, NEET young people, persons in one of the situations provided under art. 16 letter g) of the law, mothers who are unemployed with at least 3 dependent children under the age of 18, or persons who are unemployed and who have served a custodial sentence or have been sentenced to the execution of a penalty, an educational measure, or other non-custodial measures ordered by judicial bodies, receive monthly, for a period of 12 months, for each person hired from these categories, an amount of 2,250 lei, with the obligation to maintain the employment or service relationship for at least 18 months.
Keep in mind, the provision applies to:
- NEET young people
- long-term unemployed individuals
- unemployed individuals over the age of 50
- unemployed individuals who are single parents supporting single-parent families
- persons in one of the situations provided under art. 16 letter g) of the law
- mothers who are unemployed with at least 3 dependent children under the age of 18
- people who are unemployed and who:
- have served a custodial sentence
- or have been sentenced to the execution of a penalty, an educational measure, or other non-custodial measures ordered by judicial bodies
The condition is maintaining the employment relationship for at least 18 months.
What do these provisions mean in practice? A significant part of the salary cost is covered in the first year, exactly the period when an employee adapts and starts delivering results. If you choose the right candidate and integrate them well, the subsidy becomes more than just support – it becomes a team stabilization tool.
Hire people close to retirement! You get salary subsidies and immediate results
There are roles where experience matters, because you may not have the time or resources for training. In this context, hiring people close to retirement can be an efficient decision, especially since the state supports this type of recruitment.
According to Emergency Ordinance no. 11/2026:
“Employers who hire unemployed individuals who, within 2 years from the date of employment, meet the conditions to request early retirement or retirement for age limit, if they do not meet the conditions for early retirement, benefit monthly, for the duration of employment, until the date these conditions are met, from an amount of 2,250 lei.”
The advantage is double when hiring people close to retirement: on one hand, you reduce salary costs and on the other hand, you collaborate with employees who can deliver immediate results without long adaptation periods. In addition, new colleagues can play an important role in sharing experience with younger team members.
More candidates available. Legal changes for unemployed individuals
Emergency Ordinance no. 11/2026 also provides greater clarity on the responsibilities of unemployed individuals, encouraging them to take all necessary steps to find a job.
Unemployed individuals who do not receive unemployment benefits must submit a request to employment agencies to be registered for mediation purposes.
New provisions are introduced for NEET young people – thus, NEET young people registered with county employment agencies or the Bucharest Municipal Employment Agency, who are employed for the first time with a full-time, indefinite contract, benefit from a non-taxable stability bonus, for which no mandatory social contributions are due, granted monthly for a period of 24 months from the date of employment, as follows:
- 1,000 lei per month for the first 12 months from employment
- 1,250 lei per month for the following 12 consecutive months
At the same time:
Unemployment benefits that were granted in error are recovered without any tax liabilities, within a maximum of 180 days
Through these changes, you gain access to more candidates, while the state contributes financially to motivating them.
Tax incentives that can make the salary package more attractive without higher costs
In a context where salary pressure is increasing, you are looking for solutions to offer relevant benefits without significantly increasing total costs. The measures introduced by GEO no. 8/2026 go exactly in this direction and expand the category of non-taxable income.
This allows you to expand your company’s benefits package. The salary offer becomes more attractive to candidates and helps improve employee retention.
Tax Deductions for Share Acquisition
Employees can benefit, starting with income related to March 2026, from deductibility for certain investments:
„Starting with income related to March 2026, employees will benefit from income tax deductibility on amounts they pay to purchase shares, bonds, and/or units issued by collective investment undertakings in transferable securities. This applies to such shares, bonds, or units paid and settled as of March 1, 2026, up to a limit of 400 euros per year. platite si decontate cu data de 1 martie 2026 (in limita unui plafon de 400 euro/an).”
For the employer, this mechanism can be used as part of a financial education package or flexible benefits. Even though it does not involve a direct cost, it provides a competitive advantage in the relationship with employees, especially in areas where retention is difficult.
Occupational pensions – non-taxable benefits
Legislation expands the category of non-taxable income included within the 33% of the base salary.
According to GEO no. 8/2026:
“In the category of non-taxable income included within the monthly limit of 33% of the base salary […] contributions to an occupational pension fund are also included.”
In addition, the following contributions are included:
“contributions to occupational pension schemes […] administered by authorized entities established in European Union member states […] or in a state adhering to the OECD liberalization codes.”
Another important legal news is the possibility for the employer to cover occupational pension contributions for employees, within certain limits:
“contributions to occupational pension schemes […] covered by the employer for its own employees […] within a limit of 400 euros/year for each person.”
For you, as an employer, this mechanism can become a strategic retention tool:
- offers employees long-term security
- increases loyalty
- differentiates your company in the labor market without major fiscal impact
Why these facilities matter for employers
All these measures allow you to build a salary package with relevant benefits that can convince candidates to accept your offer and employees to stay loyal to your company.
In a competitive market, a strong salary package can make the difference between retaining a valuable employee and restarting the recruitment process.
How SMARTEMP Helps You Reduce the Costs of Hiring and Managing Temporary Workers
SMARTEMP, a company with 14 years of experience in personnel leasing and 11 years of collaboration with multinationals, provides a complete service package (recruitment, personnel administration – contracts, addenda, payroll, benefits, declarations), all integrated into a transparent monthly fee per employee, which includes:
Gross salary
Tailored to your requirements and market standards, in line with legal minimums or agreed pay scales.
Legal contributions and taxes
All statutory contributions (pension, health, work insurance, income tax) are paid by SMARTEMP as the legal employer, ensuring:
- Full compliance with labor law
- No risk of penalties or lawsuits
Admin and operational costs
The SMARTEMP personnel leasing offer covers everything you would otherwise handle internally:
- personnel file management, contracts, Reges Online
- Tracking attendance and payroll
- Legal assistance and continuous HR support
Recruitment and selection services
SMARTEMP takes care of:
- Job ad promotion
- CV screening and pre-interviews
- Interview scheduling and onboarding
All these processes are expensive to run internally — from job post fees to recruiter time — and a bad hire can cost up to 30% of the employee’s annual salary, according to Forbes. Forbes.
Ongoing coordination and management
You also benefit from:
- A dedicated project manager
- Monthly reporting
- Fast staff replacement (covering absences, leave, turnover)
Request a personalized personnel leasing offer at office@smartemp.ro or call 0738 662 370 or 021 404 14 15.
Sources:
Emergency Ordinance no. 11/2026
Emergency Ordinance no. 8/2026
Read also:
Why Personnel Leasing Is a Smart Option for Your Company’s Budget in 2026
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