Contractual Inequality in Albanian Employment: Adhesion Contracts and Worker Protection

Abstract

This study analyses employment contracts in Albania under the theoretical framework of adhesioncontracts, and determines whether and to what extent these standard-form employment contracts reflect the structural imbalance between the parties to an employment relationship. It uses doctrinal analysis of the Albanian labour law framework and relevant European standards, combined with qualitative empirical fieldwork among employees in the service sector in Albania. The findings show that employment contracts demonstrate the features of adhesion contracts when it comes to working time, overtime pay, dismissals, and post-termination obligations. According to the empirical findings, they are introduced to the worker without negotiating them and contain vague or disproportionate clauses. The research identifies a gap between the protection afforded by the law on the books and its implementation in practice, arguing that the mere existence of harmonized legal frameworks is not sufficient to guarantee efficient protection of employees. Based on doctrinal and empirical findings, the paper suggests that efficient protection of employees can be increased by strengthening the work inspection mechanism, improving transparency requirements in work contracts, as well as encouraging mechanisms of social dialogue.

Received: 20 February 2026  │  Accepted: 10 June 2026  │  Published: 23 July 2026