Digital Card Confusion in Tourism and Hospitality

New Rules, Same Chaos

The Heraklion Chamber decided to take on the storm surrounding the new digital card. Since it went live on March 1st for professionals in tourism and hospitality, it’s been causing quite an uproar. Misunderstandings, confusion, and plenty of frustration have followed in its wake, prompting the Chamber to step in with an event to clear things up.

Hosted as part of the Enterprise Europe Network, the session shed some light on what this shiny new system means for businesses and employees. Spoiler: it’s complicated.

Here’s where things got real. Keynote speaker Manolis Amargiotakis, a Labor Consultant and former Labor Inspector, didn’t mince words. He covered everything from the weekly work hour caps to Sunday shifts and even broke down who qualifies as “management” under the new rules.

This event wasn’t a solo show, by the way. A few key players jumped headfirst into this swirling drama:

• The Heraklion Association of Tax Consultants
• The Messara Accountants and Tax Experts Association
• The Heraklion Restaurant and Entertainment Professionals Group

With collaborators like these, the hope was clarity. Whether attendees left with answers—or just more migraines—is anyone’s guess.

What Was Discussed?

Let’s break it down:

1. Shifts and Work Hours: How much can you work before it becomes illegal? Spoiler: Employers often ride that fine line.
2. Rest and Relaxation: Weekly breaks, daily downtime, and minimum rest periods—assuming anyone gets those.
3. Weekend Woes: Sunday work and what counts as overtime, plus how employers use flexible work and part-time jobs to their advantage.
4. Paid or Played? Vacation entitlements, work pause rules, and the oft-ignored need for breaks during shifts.
5. Penalties: Yes, there are fines. No, dodging the law isn’t as easy as it used to be.

The highlight was the deep dive into who counts as a “manager.” Unsurprisingly, the definition’s been stretched thinner than a crepe in a tourist cafe.

Why Should You Care?

If you work in tourism or hospitality—or, heaven forbid, own a business—you can’t afford to ignore this. The digital card tracks work hours in real-time, so no more fudging time sheets or coworkers “forgetting” to clock out.

While this might sound like a win for fairness, many workers and employers aren’t celebrating. Why? It’s a bureaucratic headache with steep fines attached for non-compliance.

A Presidential Pat on the Back

Eager to spin the chaos into something vaguely inspirational, the president of the Heraklion Chamber, Vangelis Karkanakis, hailed the digital card as “a step toward fair labor practices.” According to him, it’ll curb the rampant undeclared work in the industry and reward businesses that follow the rules. Sounds nice in theory.

He wrapped up his speech by promising to keep hosting these info sessions, which is great news if you enjoy learning about labor policy over lukewarm coffee.

For now, the digital card is here to stay. Whether it’s a much-needed step forward or another poorly implemented headache depends on who you ask. But one thing is for sure: everyone from employees looking to protect their paycheck to employers dodging fines had better stay informed—before it’s too late.