If the employer is to fall under the scope of legislation on collective dismissal, at least 10 employees must be laid off within 30 days. The shipping, hunting and fishing, and military aviation sectors are excluded from the legislation, as well as civil servants.

Economic reasons for restructuring are accepted in legislation where dismissals need to be 'objectively justified', and the employer has to demonstrate that no suitable alternative work is available. 

When deciding whether a dismissal is objectively justified by curtailed operations or rationalisation measures, the needs of the undertaking shall be weighed against the disadvantage caused by the dismissal for the individual employee.