Redundancy and dismissal compensation calculator
A rough estimate of what would be due depending on how the termination of the contract is classified, with the full breakdown of the calculation: the days per year, the regime for contracts predating 12 February 2012 and the caps that apply. It is calculated in your browser and no data is sent anywhere.
Sample calculation
€27,123.29
Unfair dismissal · 10 years worked, all after 2012 · €30,000 gross a year
- Daily salary (€30,000 ÷ 365)
- €82.19
- 33 days × 10 years
- 330 days
- Cap: 24 months' pay
- 720 days
Fill in and calculate
- Start of the contract Where it is: In the contract or in the vida laboral (employment history report).
- Effective date Where it is: In the dismissal letter.
- Gross annual salary Where it is: In your payslips, including extra payments.
- Classification Where it is: If you do not know it yet, try each one and compare.
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Your browser has it disabled or blocked. Below, in a table, are the same rules the calculation applies, and you can always call us on 614 26 26 92.
How much severance pay am I entitled to?
If the dismissal is unfair, 33 days' pay per year worked, up to a maximum of 24 months' pay; if it is objective and fair, 20 days per year, up to a maximum of 12. Time worked before 12 February 2012 is calculated at 45 days per year, with caps of its own. The calculator above does the sum with your length of service and your pay; the final amount depends on the salary used for the calculation.
- 33 days per year
- of pay if the dismissal is unfair, up to a maximum of 24 months' pay. Art. 56.1 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores
- 20 days per year
- for an objective dismissal, up to a maximum of 12 months' pay. Art. 53.1 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores
- 45 days per year
- for time worked before 12 February 2012, with the caps of the transitional rules. Eleventh transitional provision of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores
- 20 working days
- to challenge a dismissal from its effective date; the time limit lapses and cannot be revived. Art. 59.3 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores
Who is answering. The calculator belongs to Ajuridic, which acts for employees in dismissals and wage claims. Ajuridic is a general-practice law firm in Barcelona, based at Carrer del Freser, 104 (El Clot, Sant Martí), working in nine areas: family law and divorce, inheritance, immigration, employment, road traffic accidents, medical negligence, civil liability, fines and local government law, and property. It is led by Noemí Ampurdanés Parés, a lawyer registered with the Barcelona Bar (ICAB) under no. 22359, with more than thirty years in practice, and works with notaries, court representatives (procuradores) and expert witnesses. Service in Spanish, Catalan, English and Arabic (Arabic by appointment); support in Filipino on request.
Figures checked on 12 October 2026 against the sources linked. General information: it does not replace advice on your case.
How the compensation is calculated, step by step
Using the example above: unfair dismissal, 10 years worked, all after 12 February 2012, and €30,000 gross a year.
-
Daily salary
Gross annual salary ÷ 365
€30,000 ÷ 365 = €82.19
-
Days' pay
Days per year × years worked
33 × 10 = 330 days
-
Cap
One month's pay is counted as 30 days: 24 months = 720 days.
330 days: below the cap
-
Compensation
Days × daily salary, without rounding the daily figure
330 × €30,000 ÷ 365 = €27,123.29
The same example, depending on how the dismissal is classified
- Unfair 33 days per year €27,123.29
- Objective grounds, held to be justified 20 days per year €16,438.36
- Disciplinary, held to be justified No compensation €0
- Void Reinstatement and unpaid wages; no compensation for termination Reinstatement
The classification is decided by the employment tribunal (juzgado de lo social), not by the employer. If the dismissal is unfair, the employer chooses between reinstating or paying the compensation.
If the contract began before 12 February 2012
Cap: 720 days' pay, unless the period before 2012 already exceeds that figure, and never more than 42 months' pay. The calculator works out both periods on its own.
The rules the calculation applies
This is the same table already published on the employment lawyers in Barcelona page, and it sets out the general rules of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores. The calculator applies no others: there is nothing here that the firm had not already put in writing.
| Classification | Compensation | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Unfair dismissal | 33 days' pay per year of service, with periods of less than a year calculated pro rata by month | 24 months' pay |
| Unfair dismissal with service before 12 February 2012 | 45 days per year up to that date and 33 days per year from then on, calculated in separate periods | 720 days' pay, unless the period before 2012 already exceeds that figure, and in no case more than 42 months' pay |
| Dismissal on objective grounds held to be justified | 20 days' pay per year of service | 12 months' pay |
| End of a fixed-term contract giving rise to compensation | 12 days' pay per year of service | No specific cap |
| Void dismissal | Compulsory reinstatement and payment of the wages lost | No compensation for termination is payable |
The two calculations the calculator makes, spelled out
Daily salary. This is obtained by dividing the gross annual salary by 365. It is the usual criterion, but the final salary figure depends on which items the collective agreement treats as countable, and it is one of the most argued-over points in a dismissal.
Monthly salary. This is taken as 30 days' pay. It is not an add-on: it is what makes the two figures in the table itself fit together, because 24 months at 30 days is exactly the 720 days the table sets as the cap under the transitional regime. On that same basis, 12 months is 360 days and 42 months is 1,260.
The odd days left over from the last month are not apportioned in this calculation, which is why the result shows them separately rather than hiding them.
The time limit runs from the effective date
The amount matters less than the calendar. To challenge a dismissal there are twenty working days from the effective date, and it is a lapse period: once it expires, the claim is lost entirely, however unjust the dismissal was. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays do not count, but the period does run during August for these purposes.
If you have the letter in front of you, check the date with the time limit checker before doing any more sums. And if you are coming to the office, the employment documents checklist says which papers are worth bringing.
20 working days on the calendar
- Effective date
- Saturdays and Sundays: do not count
- Day 20: last day
From dismissal to claim
- Effective dateThe time limit starts running the next day.
- Conciliation request (papeleta)Filing it suspends the time limit. In Catalonia it is filed with the CMAC.
- ConciliationThe time limit resumes the day after the hearing, or 15 working days after filing if it does not take place.
- ClaimBefore the employment tribunal (juzgado de lo social), with the working days that were left.
Telling the employer or negotiating does not stop the time limit.
What to bring and what the figure leaves out
What to bring
- The dismissal letter, with the date it was handed over.
- The last twelve payslips.
- The contract of employment, with its extensions and annexes.
- An up-to-date vida laboral (employment history report).
- The finiquito (final settlement) and its receipt, signed or not.
If you bring documents, they are looked at only to give you general guidance; a detailed review is not included.
What the calculator does not include
- Final settlement (finiquito)
- Untaken holiday
- Outstanding extra payments
- Wages payable during proceedings, where they apply
These are settled separately.
What can change the figure
- The salary used, depending on the collective agreement
- A collective agreement that improves on the statutory compensation
- The classification decided by the court
What people ask when they see the result
How is unfair dismissal compensation calculated?
The daily wage is multiplied by 33 days for each year of service, with periods of less than a year prorated by months, up to a maximum of 24 months' pay (article 56.1 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores). If the contract predates 12 February 2012, the time worked up to that date is calculated at 45 days per year and a different cap applies: 720 days' pay, or more if that period already exceeds it, but never more than 42 months' pay (eleventh transitional provision). The calculator takes as the daily wage the gross annual salary divided by 365.
Which salary should be entered in the calculator?
The gross annual salary, including the pro rata share of the extra payments. The daily salary is obtained from that by dividing by 365. That said, the salary figure that ends up being applied does not always match the gross annual figure: it depends on which items the collective agreement treats as countable. It is one of the most argued-over points in a dismissal, and that is why the result is only a guide.
Why does the result change so much if the contract predates 2012?
Because compensation for unfair dismissal was calculated at 45 days per year of service until 12 February 2012 and at 33 days from then on. Contracts going back further are calculated in sections: 45 days per year up to that date and 33 days per year afterwards, with a cap of 720 days' pay, unless the pre-2012 section already exceeds that figure, and in no case more than 42 months' pay. The calculator works this out by itself from the contract start date.
How long do I have to challenge the dismissal?
Twenty working days from the effective date of the dismissal. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays do not count, but the period does run during August for these purposes. It is a lapse period: if it expires, the claim is lost and cannot be recovered even if the dismissal was clearly unjust. Filing the papeleta de conciliación suspends the count, so the first thing to do is file it in time.
The company is offering me a sum. Is it worth litigating?
It depends on how far the offer falls short of what would be due and on what can be proved. If the compensation offered is already what would be due, litigation only adds time and uncertainty. If there is a difference, or if the dismissal may be void, the arithmetic changes. That comparison is made with the dismissal letter and the payslips in front of you, not with a calculator.
Is the finiquito included in this figure?
No. The calculation covers only the compensation for the termination. The finiquito, untaken holiday and outstanding extra payments are settled separately. And it is worth reading it carefully: it often includes a wording by which the employee declares any outstanding claim settled. If it has to be signed on the spot, the prudent practice is to add "recibí, no conforme" (received, not agreed) next to the signature and keep a dated copy.
How much is paid for an objective dismissal?
20 days' pay per year of service, up to a maximum of 12 months' pay, which the employer must make available when handing over the letter, unless, in a dismissal on economic grounds, the employer cannot do so because of its situation and states this in the letter; the employee then keeps the right to claim it (article 53.1 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores). If the objective dismissal is declared unfair, it is calculated at 33 days per year.
Is this the same as unfair dismissal compensation in the UK?
No. This calculator applies Spanish law, the Estatuto de los Trabajadores: 33 days' pay per year of service for an unfair dismissal (45 for time worked before 12 February 2012), with the statutory caps. The UK basic and compensatory awards follow different rules and are not calculated here. If you work in Spain, Spanish employment law will usually apply; with a contract signed abroad or remote work, that should be checked first. The nearest Spanish mechanism to constructive dismissal is a termination requested by the employee because of a serious breach by the employer (article 50 of the Estatuto), but it works differently: you do not simply resign, you ask the employment court to end the contract, and if it does so the compensation is the same as for an unfair dismissal. Resigning on your own would normally mean no compensation, so take advice before leaving your job. For a claim under UK law you need a professional qualified in the UK. In Spain these cases are handled by an abogado: more on how Spanish lawyers compare with solicitors and attorneys.
Request your first visit and pin down the time limit
At the visit, the time limit is established and you are told the next step. Working out the compensation with the letter, the payslips and the vida laboral is part of the prior review, which may involve fees and is quoted to you beforehand. The time limit is twenty working days: it is best not to leave it to the last minute.
First visit: conditions*
When confirming the appointment, the firm tells you whether the visit is at no charge or whether, because of the type of matter, a fee applies; in that case, it tells you the scope and amount beforehand, and you decide whether to accept.
*The first visit at no charge covers an initial consultation to discuss the case. It does not include prior document review. If that review is needed, or the matter concerns employment or criminal law, a fee may apply. The firm will disclose the scope and amount beforehand; the client decides whether to accept.