Contract, hours and payslip
Read your contract and payslip, and know why working off the books costs you.
Key words
Read these before you listen: you will hear most of them.
il contrattothe contract
Prima di firmare, leggi bene il contratto.
Masculine. You firmare un contratto. The most common residential lease is the quattro più quattro: four years, renewable for four more.
a tempo determinatofixed-term (contract)
Mi hanno offerto un contratto a tempo determinato di sei mesi.
A contract with an end date — common in seasonal work. Its opposite is a tempo indeterminato, permanent.
a tempo indeterminatopermanent (contract)
Finalmente ho un contratto a tempo indeterminato.
The permanent contract, still the goal for many Italian workers. The opposite is a tempo determinato, a fixed-term contract.
la busta pagathe payslip
Controlla sempre la busta paga a fine mese.
Feminine, literally pay envelope. It shows gross pay (lordo), deductions and net pay (netto). Landlords often ask to see your last few.
lo stipendiothe salary
Lo stipendio arriva il ventisette di ogni mese.
Masculine. Italian salaries are usually quoted lordo, before tax, and many contracts add a tredicesima — a thirteenth monthly payment — in December.
i contributisocial security contributions
Sulla busta paga ci sono anche i contributi.
Masculine plural. Paid to INPS on your wages; they count towards your pension and sick pay, and some permits ask for proof of them.
lo straordinarioovertime
Questo mese ho fatto dieci ore di straordinario.
Masculine, often plural: fare gli straordinari. As an adjective it means extraordinary.
in nerooff the books / undeclared
Non accettare di lavorare in nero: senza contratto non hai tutele.
Invariable phrase: lavorare in nero, pagare in nero. Work with no contract and no contributions — and no protection if something goes wrong.
il giorno liberothe day off
Il mio giorno libero è il lunedì.
Masculine. Restaurants often close one weekday, il giorno di chiusura, which is not always your giorno libero.
Listen: Contratto e busta paga
A new worker goes through her first contract and payslip with a friend. 5 questions; finishing them completes this step.
Start listening