Mental Health Days Lisbon: New Worker Rights 2025

New rules effective this month give Lisbon employees the right to request up to five paid mental health days per year without a full medical certificate for the first two absences.

Portugal updated its labour code in late 2025 to address rising burnout in tourism and service sectors that dominate the city economy. Many offices in Baixa and along Avenida da Liberdade operate on tight schedules that leave little room for recovery. The change comes as companies face staff shortages during peak summer months when visitor numbers push daily foot traffic in the historic centre past 150,000 people.

Rights under the updated code

Employers must now respond to formal wellbeing requests within ten working days or face fines starting at €750. Workers at firms with more than fifty staff can also ask for adjusted start times if they provide a note from an approved mental health practitioner. These provisions apply across the municipality and are enforced by inspectors based at the Labour Authority office on Rua de São Bento.

Local detail shows two programmes already seeing uptake. The Câmara Municipal de Lisboa runs a confidential helpline and short-term counselling through its Employee Wellbeing Office located near Praça do Comércio. Sessions cost €25 for non-members and are available in Portuguese and English on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Separately, the Gulbenkian Foundation in Avenidas Novas offers free weekly stress-management workshops for city residents who register through their local junta de freguesia; the next block begins 22 July and meets in the foundation’s garden annexe.

Evidence and next steps

A 2025 study by the National Institute of Statistics found that 38 percent of Lisbon employees aged 25 to 44 reported persistent work-related anxiety, with average sick-leave costs per case reaching €890. Companies that adopted similar flexible policies in 2024 recorded a 14 percent drop in those figures within six months.

Staff who want to use the new rights should first speak with their HR department and keep records of all written requests. For immediate guidance, the municipal helpline at 218 171 000 operates weekdays from 9am to 5pm. Booking a place at the Gulbenkian workshops requires only proof of Lisbon residency and can be done online or at any junta office before 18 July.