Author: Oleg Kuznetcov

Translating employment contracts is a complex challenge that requires not only a perfect command of the languages involved but also a deep understanding of the legal, cultural, and social norms of both the source and target countries. It is a delicate process where precision is paramount, as ambiguity can lead to legal complications.

Before looking for where to order a translation, let’s examine the key aspects of employment contract translation, with particular attention to its challenges and the skills required.

1. What aspects should be considered?

Employment contract translation cannot be done word for word. Every legal term has a precise meaning within the context of employment law and labour relations in a given country. Experienced translators, like ours, know how to choose the most appropriate linguistic and cultural solution without altering the original meaning of the contract.

For instance, in Italy, the contratto collettivo nazionale di lavoro (CCNL) establishes minimum salary standards and other conditions for an entire sector. In other countries collective agreements do not have such broad national-level regulation. Conversely, in Canada, Russia, Norway, Sweden and Finland there are so-called northern allowances, which are additional payments for those working in polar regions and similar areas with harsh northern climates. There is no equivalent concept in countries like Italy, Greece and Spain.

This is why, when it comes to translating employment contracts, it is essential to rely on qualified translators with in-depth knowledge of the labour laws of both countries.

2. Legal and regulatory differences

Each country has different employment laws and regulations, which play a crucial role in drafting employment contracts. Therefore, translation is not simply about converting words; it also requires a profound understanding of the legal framework governing labour relations. A translator must be familiar with specific aspects of legislation, including working hours, employee rights, contract termination, and other clauses that may vary from country to country.

For example, an employment contract in Italy may reference terms such as indennità di disoccupazione or trattamento di fine rapporto (TFR), which are unique to the Italian legal system. Our translators can identify equivalent legal concepts with the same legal weight in the target country. In no case is translation a mere word-for-word exercise; rather, it is a human and professional translation, accompanied by thorough verification and compliance checks with current legislation. We think there’s no need to explain what happens when you rely on machine translation…

3. More than just technicalities: The importance of cultural aspects

As mentioned earlier, translating a contract word for word is not enough, particularly because much of the work concerns legal and cultural aspects rather than just the language itself. A contract written in Italian follows a specific structure and register that make it recognisable to the average reader. A contract in Russian or English (British, American, Australian…) will certainly have a different structure and register. A literal translation could make the text appear ‘strange’ to the reader. To avoid this, it is best to entrust the task to experienced translators.

Another crucial aspect—especially for individuals whose native language uses a different alphabet from the Latin script—is providing the official transliteration of their name and surname. Recently, we encountered an amateur translator who believed that universal tables exist that allow precise and unambiguous transliteration of names and surnames from Cyrillic to Latin script for all countries and eras. Anyone with experience in our field knows that, in practice, there is no single standard: institutions change systems at their discretion, often without following consistent rules or consulting users.

For this reason, determining the correct Latin spelling of names and surnames is a task in itself.

4. Not just translation: The importance of revision

Finally, an employment contract translation must undergo revision before being certified. A reviewer does more than just correct errors; they can also improve the text’s structure, style, and logical coherence. Revision ensures not only the final quality of the contract text but also that the translated version fully complies with the laws of the target country and that all clauses are correctly formulated. Additionally, references to legislation are checked for accuracy and formatting.

Conclusion

Employment contract translation is not a straightforward process; it requires a combination of linguistic, legal, and cultural expertise that only experienced translators can provide. It is crucial that translators fully understand the laws of the target country and can adapt terminology so that the contract retains its legal validity and remains culturally appropriate. This is the level of service you can expect when entrusting your translations to the experts at OLÈXICA.

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Send us the texts in Word, Excel, HTML or XLIFF format via e-mail to info@olexica.com, via WhatsApp to +39 351 400 9010, or on Telegram. We will examine the work and send you our no obligation quote.

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