Working life in Slovenia

Notes: Values for real GDP per capita are chain-linked volumes (based on 2010 data; €). The unemployment rate for men and women is the annual average as a percentage of the active population aged 15–74 years, and the youth unemployment rate is the annual average as a percentage of people aged 15–24 years. The employment rate for men and women is the annual average as a percentage of the active population aged 15–64 years, and the youth employment rate is the annual average as a percentage of people aged 15–24 years. GDP, gross domestic product.

Sources: Eurostat [sdg_08_10], for real GDP per capita and percentage change 2012–2022; [une_rt_a], for unemployment rate by sex and age; [lfsi_emp_a], for employment rate by sex and age.

Economic and labour market context

Between 2012 and 2022, Slovenian GDP increased substantially, by 25.92%. This increase was more than the EU27 average of 15.29% for the same period. Unemployment rates for all categories decreased. The biggest decrease was in youth unemployment, which fell by 10.7 percentage points, from 20.8% in 2012 to 10.1% in 2022. At 4%, the total unemployment rate in Slovenia in 2022 was below the EU average of 6.2%. There was an increase in women’s employment between 2012 and 2022 (6.4 percentage points), to 72.9%. Youth employment increased by 3.1 percentage points in the same period, and stood at 35.9% in 2022.

The Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development reports that Slovenia’s economy saw a quick rebound in 2021 with the help of strong government measures that kept the material and financial situations of the population relatively stable (IMAD, 2022). The measures taken to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic made an important contribution to the rapid recovery of GDP (which had already exceeded the pre-crisis level in 2021), as they made it possible to maintain the country’s economic potential while strict containment measures were implemented.

Legal context

Labour relationships in Slovenia are regulated by the Employment Relationships Act (Zakon o delovnih razmerjih, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 21/2013). There were no major changes to the act in 2022.

In June 2017, the government adopted changes to the Labour Market Regulation Act (Zakon o urejanju trga dela) and the Labour Inspection Act (Zakon o inšpekciji dela, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No 55/2017 ) after finally reaching a deal with the social partners. Amendments to the labour market legislation cover various measures intended to activate labour market policies for unemployed people, while amendments to the labour inspection legislation include new powers for labour inspectors to prevent work on the basis of civil law contracts and to protect workers if their employer does not pay them on time.

In May 2014, the Prevention of Undeclared Work and Employment Act (Zakon o preprečevanju dela in zaposlovanja na črno, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 32/2014) came into force.

Collective bargaining is regulated by the Collective Agreements Act (Zakon o kolektivnih pogodbah, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 43/2006). This act regulates the parties to, content of and procedure for the signing of a collective agreement, and its form, validity and termination; the peaceful settlement of collective labour disputes; and the registering and publication of collective agreements. Trade union representation is regulated by the Law on Representativeness of Trade Unions (Zakon o reprezentativnosti sindikatov, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 13/1993).

Industrial relations context

Industrial relations in Slovenia took root in the 1870s, when trade unions became legal entities. At the turn of the century, there were 17 industrial unions. Trade unions were centralised after the Second World War, with membership mandatory. Employer organisations did not exist.

After the change to the socioeconomic system and the first free elections, a democratic industrial relations system gradually emerged with free collective bargaining. A study by Stanojević and Kanjuo Mrčela (2014) found that the nature of industrial relations in Slovenia was changing. Although social partners described collective bargaining in Slovenia as more cooperative than conflictual, they also reported that there were sectors where there was practically no social dialogue any more. This study confirmed the findings of an earlier analysis by Eurofound (2013), which showed a deterioration in social dialogue since the onset of the financial crisis (for example, increasing breaches of collective agreements by employers, increasing unrest among workers, an increasing number of strikes, and a rise in unilateral and hasty government interventions related to public sector working conditions). However, the social partners did sign the social agreement for 2015–2016 in February 2015, after many years of negotiations.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trade unions felt excluded from social dialogue. They highlighted that the government completely ignored them and did not consider their proposals when drafting the first and second packages of measures to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic. Some trade union proposals were later adopted in consecutive packages, but the government ignored the trade unions when it came to the key issues. The Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (Zveza Svobodnih Sindikatov Slovenije, ZSSS), the largest trade union confederation, claims that the government breached the rules of the Economic and Social Council of the Republic of Slovenia (Ekonomsko-socialni svet, ESC) in the process of adopting measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest trade unions resigned in protest from this body in May 2021. They decided to take this step because the government passed laws without consulting the social partners. In July 2022, after the ESC elections, the social partners met again and signed the preamble to the agreement on the relaunch of social dialogue. This preamble notes that social dialogue is an important democratic asset, crucial for the development of Slovenia, the well-being of citizens, social peace and the rebuilding of trust between the social partners. The newly appointed president to the ESC emphasised the importance of renewing social dialogue and social partnership.

Trade unions, employer organisations and public institutions play a key role in the governance of the employment relationship, working conditions and industrial relations structures. They are interlocking parts in a multilevel system of governance that includes European, national, sectoral, regional (provincial or local) and company levels. This section looks at the main actors and institutions and their role in Slovenia.

Public authorities involved in regulating working life

The Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (Ministrstvo za delo, družino, socialne zadeve in enake možnosti) mainly deals with social dialogue and working conditions, including health and safety at work. Its objectives are to provide the necessary legislative framework and information, advisory and dispute settlement services, and the minimum level of worker protection, through legislation. The areas of activity covered by the ministry’s health and safety at work section include the drafting of acts and other regulations concerning health and safety at work; it also co-operates with other line ministries in drafting individual regulations. The state also participates in national tripartite consultation or negotiation on economic and social issues and is a partner in sectoral tripartite bodies. The state has been heavily involved in public sector industrial relations as an employer. This includes the civil service (state administration at central, regional and local levels), public social services (such as health and safety at work, education and childcare) and industrial and commercial enterprises (such as postal services and railways).

The Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia supervises the implementation of laws, other regulations, collective contracts and general acts that govern employment relations, pay and other gains from employment, the employment of workers at home and abroad, workers’ participation in management, strikes and the safety of workers at work, unless otherwise specified by regulations. A worker may request judicial protection before a competent labour court. The worker and the employer may also agree to settle a dispute through mediation. Representative trade union and employer organisations propose mediation experts for mediation in individual cases and arbiters for settling labour disputes. The data on experts and arbiters are kept by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

The health and safety at work section of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities monitors and assesses the situation in the field of health and safety at work.

Representativeness

The representativeness of trade unions is regulated by the Law on Representativeness of Trade Unions. Article 6 of this law stipulates the criteria for representativeness, according to which a representative trade union must be democratic, enable voluntary membership, have been active for the past six months, be independent of governmental bodies and employers, be mostly financed through membership fees and other internal sources, and have a certain number of members (at least 10% of employees in a particular branch, activity or occupation).

The representativeness of employer organisations is not regulated by a specific law. It is nevertheless indirectly regulated by the Collective Agreements Act. Article 12 of the act stipulates that when a collective agreement has been concluded between one or more representative trade unions and one or more representative employer organisations, one of the parties may ask the labour minister to extend the collective agreement to all employers in the activity to which the agreement refers. The employer organisation in this case has to employ more than half of all the workers in companies covered by the extension.

Trade unions

About trade union representation

Trade union representation is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia. Article 76 of the Constitution stipulates that the organisation and work of trade unions, as well as trade union membership, are free. Consequently, there are no legislative restrictions regarding the right to join trade unions.

According to data from the OECD and AIAS (2021), trade union membership had been declining before the financial crisis (from 43.7% of the workforce in 2003 to 26.2% in 2013), and continued to decline during the crisis.

Trade union membership and density, 2011–2019

Notes: * Proportion of employees who are members of a trade union. ** Total number of trade union members (including self-employed workers and non-active union members – that is, students, retirees and unemployed people) at national level. n.a., not available.

Main trade union confederations and federations

The most important trade union confederations and federations in Slovenia are:

• ZSSS, the largest union organisation
• Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (Konfederacija Sindikatov Javnega Sektorja Slovenije, KSJS)
• Confederation of Trade Unions of Slovenia Pergam (Konfederacija Sindikatov Slovenije Pergam, Pergam)
• Trade Union Confederation 90 of Slovenia (Konfederacija Sindikatov 90 Slovenije, KS90)
• Independent Confederation of New Trade Unions of Slovenia (Konfederacija novih sindikatov Slovenije, KNSS)
• Union of Workers’ Trade Unions of Slovenia – Solidarity (Zveza delavskih sindikatov Slovenije – Solidarnost, Solidarnost)
• Slovene Union of Trade Unions Alternativa (Slovenska zveza sindikatov Alternativa, Alternativa)
• Association of Representative Trade Unions of Slovenia (Zveza reprezentativnih sindikatov Slovenije, ZRSS)
• (Konfederacija slovenskih sindikatov, KSS)

Main trade union confederations and federations

Sources: Eurofound, 2014a; ZSSS, internal data

Employer organisations

About employer representation

Membership of employer organisations suffered its biggest decrease when the obligatory membership in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (Gospodarska zbornica Slovenije, GZS) was abolished in 2006. Two years afterwards, it was at 55% of employers (Glassner, 2013).

The Association of Employers of Slovenia (Združenje delodajalcev Slovenije, ZDS) was the first voluntary economic association in Slovenia representing and protecting the interests of employers. It claims that half of all employees in the private sector are employed by more than 1,000 of its members, representing over half of the total capital in Slovenia.

Employer organisation membership and density, 2012–2019 (%)

Notes: * Percentage of employees working in an establishment that is a member of any employer organisation that is involved in collective bargaining. n.a., not available.

Main employer organisations

The most important intersectoral employer organisations in Slovenia are:

• GZS
• ZDS
• Slovenian Chamber of Commerce (Trgovinska zbornica Slovenije, TZS)
• Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (Obrtno-Podjetniška zbornica Slovenije, OZS)
• Association of Employers in Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (Združenje delodajalcev obrti in podjetnikov Slovenije, ZDOPS)

There are four cross-industry employer organisations in Slovenia, which all meet the threshold to be considered representative. All four are involved in cross-industry collective bargaining and in bipartite and tripartite social dialogue structures.

TZS only covers the commerce sector and is not involved in cross-sectoral collective bargaining, but is part of the tripartite social dialogue structure.

Main employer organisations and confederations

Sources: Eurofound, 2014a; ZDS (register of members); TZS (register of members); OZS (undated); GZS (register of members)

Tripartite and bipartite bodies and concertation

The ESC was established by a tripartite agreement on pay policy in the private sector in June 1994. Through this accord, the government, employer organisations and trade unions established a central body for tripartite cooperation in Slovenia. The ESC has substantially contributed to the successful implementation of basic economic and social reforms and the transition process, as well as rapprochement with the EU and integration into the international economy. Moreover, it has helped with the enforcement of social justice and social peace, which are seen as crucial for successful economic development. The ESC’s field of activity mainly concerns industrial relations, working conditions, labour legislation, social rights and employment policy; other broader economic and social issues that concern workers and their families; and employers’ interests and government policy.

The primary function of the ESC is consultative, which means it takes an active part in the preparation of legislation and other documents. It can also issue its own standpoint on various matters, such as working documents and draft documents (including the state budget and budget memorandum).

The ESC also has a quasi-bargaining function (although it does not participate in collective bargaining in its proper sense), which means that ‘social agreements’, pay policy agreements and other tripartite accords are negotiated within its framework.

The amended Rules of Procedure of the ESC were adopted in January 2017. Each partner is now represented by eight members. This is a welcome change, as it reflects the larger number of trade unions.

The Rules of Procedure of the ESC were amended again in 2019. Within the scope of its work, the ESC should, in its capacity as an important stakeholder, participate in the preparation of legislation in the economic and social areas it deals with (before and during public discussion thereof), by formulating positions, opinions and recommendations concerning working papers, drafts and proposals for acts, regulations and orders proposed by the government of the Republic of Slovenia.

Main tripartite and bipartite bodies

Workplace-level employee representation

At company level, there are dual channels of representation: company trade unions and works councils/worker trustees. Eurofound’s 2019 European Company Survey results suggest that trade union shop stewards play a prominent role within Slovenia’s dual-channel system. The results also indicate that where dual forms of representation exist trade unions tend to focus mostly on collective bargaining, while works councils are mostly involved in information and consultation. In Slovenia, there is a demarcation of competencies between works councils and trade unions. The legislation states that the right of workers to participate in management may not encroach on the rights and duties of trade unions and employer organisations to protect the interests of their members.

According to Eurofound (2009) Slovenia’s employee representation structures have a medium to high coverage compared with Europe as a whole, with 42% of the establishments involved in the survey and 66% of workers covered by some form of body, and a further 15% of establishments using representation when necessary. Trade unions have the highest prevalence of single-channel representation (23% of establishments covering 25% of employees). In terms of employee coverage, dual-channel representation is most widespread (15% of establishments with 39% of employees). Works councils as single-channel representative bodies are very rare, and occur predominantly in smaller establishments (4% of establishments, covering only 2% of employees).

The regulation of these bodies is codified both by law and in collective agreements.

Regulation, composition and competences of the bodies

The central concern of employment relations is the collective governance of work and employment. This section looks at collective bargaining in Slovenia.

Bargaining system

Collective bargaining in Slovenia is highly structured. In the private sector, collective bargaining takes place between unions and employers at industry and company levels. However, national bargaining for the private sector as a whole ceased at the end of 2005 following a decision by the employers to withdraw from it. The agreement that had previously covered the entire private sector, the General Collective Agreement for the Non-commercial Sector, was terminated in 2005.

In the public sector, there is an agreement covering the entire non-commercial sector and separate agreements for different parts of it.

Industry-level agreements must be registered with the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

Company-level bargaining is very important and supplements sectoral bargaining in most sectors. In Slovenia, major (cross-sectoral) agreements between social partners or increases in the minimum wage prescribed by the government do not exist.

Collective agreements are legally binding. In the private sector, wage bargaining is coordinated at sectoral level. Sector-level collective agreements contain minimum standards, which can be changed only for the better by lower-level (company-level) collective agreements. In the public sector, there is a centralised system for determining wages and other rights. The main trend in collective bargaining is decentralisation (Eurofound, 2013).

Wage bargaining coverage

Collective wage bargaining coverage among private sector establishments stood at 68% in 2019, according to European Company Survey 2019 data.

European Company Survey 2013 data show that the coverage of collective agreements stood at 78% in 2013, which indicates that the coverage is decreasing.

Collective wage bargaining coverage of employees

Sources: Eurofound, European Company Survey 2013/2019 (including private sector companies with establishments with more than 10 employees (NACE codes B–S), the question in the survey was a multiple choice question and multiple responses were possible); Eurostat [earn_ses10_01], [earn_ses14_01], [earn_ses18_01] (including companies with more than 10 employees (NACE codes B–S, excluding O), with a single response for each local unit); OECD and AIAS, 2021.

Bargaining levels

For a long time, the dominant level of bargaining and wage-setting in Slovenia was sectoral level, but the current trend in collective bargaining is decentralisation.

Working time is defined by legislation in Slovenia. Collective agreements specify the statutory weekly working time, which is 40 hours.

Levels of collective bargaining, 2022

Articulation

In general, agreements at a lower level can only improve the arrangements reached at a higher level. However, the 2006 Collective Agreements Act introduced a provision under which a higher-level agreement can specifically provide for lower-level agreements to worsen conditions. It must be stressed, however, that few agreements implement this provision in practice.

Timing of bargaining rounds

Bargaining rounds take place throughout the year. There is no specific period or pattern over the year.

Coordination

In Slovenia, there are no pace-setting collective agreements or ‘trendsetting sectors’ that establish a framework for other sectors. There is no intersectoral collective agreement in the private sector at the moment. There is no actual coordination of collective bargaining but there is some pattern bargaining (across different sectors). Vertical coordination also plays a part because the negotiators from employers and trade unions also represent different companies, and thereby the rights agreed at the lower levels have an impact on the higher levels of collective bargaining.

Some sectoral collective agreements that provide lower levels of rights for employees than other sectoral collective agreements, such as the collective agreement for the textile, clothing, leather and leather-processing industry, are used by employers when negotiating other sectoral collective agreements to try to lower the standards for employees.

Extension mechanisms

With regard to extension mechanisms, Articles 12 and 13 of the Collective Agreements Act state the following.

• If a collective agreement on one or more activities is concluded between one or more representative trade unions and one or more representative employer organisations, one of the parties may propose to the minister responsible for labour the extension of the validity of the whole collective agreement or a part of it to all employers in an activity or activities for which the agreement has been concluded.
• The minister recognises the extended validity of the whole or part of the collective agreement if the agreement has been concluded between one or more representative trade unions. The same applies if the agreement has been concluded between one or more employer organisations whose members employ more than half of all employees of employers for whom an extension of the collective agreement has been proposed.
• In the minister’s decision on extending the validity of the whole or a part of the collective agreement, they are bound by the proposal from the parties to the agreement.
• The minister recognises the extended validity of the whole or part of a collective agreement through a decision that is published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

Derogation mechanisms

Derogation from minimal standards is stipulated in some collective agreements. It is possible to derogate from those collective wage agreements through an agreement between the representative company trade union (or national trade union) and the employer, mainly in order to save jobs. This provision came into force separately for each of the collective agreements in Slovenia, mostly from 2006 onwards (Eurofound, 2015).

Conditions for rescinding a collective agreement and the rescission period are determined by the parties to a collective agreement. If a collective agreement does not contain a rescission period it may be terminated within six months. Collective agreements concluded for a definite period cannot be rescinded prematurely (Collective Agreements Act, Article 16).

Expiry of collective agreements

Article 17 of the Collective Agreements Act stipulates that, after a collective agreement expires, provisions of the procedural part that regulate the rights and duties of employees and employers should still be applied until a new contract is concluded. Such provisions relate to the conclusion of employment contracts, rights and duties that apply during employment relationships, the termination of employment contracts, pay and other personal remuneration and reimbursement for work, and occupational safety and health. However, they only apply for one year at the most, unless otherwise specified by the parties.

Peace clauses

There are no peace clauses in the collective agreements in Slovenia. Nevertheless, almost all collective agreements contain a ‘positive and negative performance duty’ clause, in which the parties bind themselves to pursuing the proper enforcement of the collective agreement and to respect its stipulations. This clause is almost a general regulation, and is contained in the part of a collective agreement specifying obligations. In the case of the breach of a collective agreement, the trade union has at its disposal mechanisms for exercising workers’ rights and is not limited by a commitment to hold industrial peace.

Legal aspects

There are no national data (official or unofficial) on strikes in Slovenia. The main reasons for collective action have been wage cuts and wage arrears. Mechanisms for resolving collective disputes are included in collective agreements. However, there are no data on their use.

The right to strike is regulated by the Strike Act (Zakon o stavki, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 23/1991). This act defines a strike as an organised stoppage of work by workers for the purpose of exercising economic and social rights and interests arising from work. Workers may freely decide to participate in a strike. The Strike Act specifies that a strike can be organised in a company or other organisation, in a part of an organisation, in a branch of the economy or as a general strike.

The right to strike for workers in organisations that perform activities of special importance for military defence can only be exercised under the following conditions: to provide a minimum level of work that ensures the security of people and property or is an irreplaceable condition for the life and work of citizens or for the functioning of other organisations; or to ensure the performance of Slovenia’s international duties.

Workers participating in a strike maintain their basic rights from their employment relationship, except the right to pay. They retain their rights to a pension and disability insurance in accordance with the regulations on these matters. Financial compensation during a strike may be granted if this is provided for under a collective agreement or general legal document (see Eurofound, 2002).

Developments in industrial action, 2013–2019

Note: n.a., not available.

Dispute resolution mechanisms

Collective dispute resolution mechanisms

Article 18 of the Collective Agreements Act stipulates that:

• collective labour disputes are settled peacefully through negotiation, mediation and arbitration, and in accordance with the Labour and Social Courts Act (Zakon o delovnih in socialnih sodiščih, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos. 2/04 and 61/04) before the competent labour court
• the disputes are settled in accordance with this law if a procedure for dispute settlement has not been determined in the applicable collective agreement

The Collective Agreements Act distinguishes between procedures for the settlement of interest disputes through mediation or arbitration and those for the peaceful settlement of disputes on rights.

Article 87 (on the resolution of collective disputes) of the Collective Agreement for the Retail Sector stipulates that the parties to the agreement agree that the collective disputes should be resolved in accordance with the procedure determined by the law on collective agreements.

Since 2010, the predominantly used mechanism of dispute resolution has been mediation; before then, it was arbitration. All mechanisms for collective dispute resolution are introduced voluntarily. In a qualitative study by Stanojević and Kanjuo Mrčela (2014), a representative of employers in craft and entrepreneurship reported on the introduction of mediation as an instrument for conflict resolution in their collective agreement.

Individual dispute resolution mechanisms

Article 5 of the Labour and Social Courts Act stipulates that the labour court is competent to rule on individual (as well as collective) industrial dispute issues. The aspects covered include employment contracts; rights, obligations and responsibilities ensuing from the employment relationship between the worker and employer or their legal successors; rights and obligations ensuing from the relations between the worker and the user undertaking; the employment procedure; industrial property rights and obligations ensuing from the employment relationship; work of children younger than 15; work of apprentices, pupils and students; scholarships; voluntary apprenticeships; and other issues determined by law.

Use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms

There are no data related to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (arbitration and mediation).

‘Individual employment relations’ refers to the relationship between the individual worker and their employer. This relationship is shaped by legal regulation and by the outcomes of social partner negotiations over terms and conditions. This section looks at the start and termination of the employment relationship and entitlements and obligations in Slovenia.

Start and termination of the employment relationship

Requirements regarding an employment contract

According to Article 21 of the Employment Relationships Act, an employment contract may be concluded with people who have reached the age of 15. Article 22 of this act stipulates that a worker who concludes an employment contract must meet the requirements for the performance of work laid down in a collective agreement or the employer’s general acts or as required by the employer and published in accordance with a public notice of a vacancy, which must contain the job requirements.

Workers under the age of 18 are not allowed to carry out work that may be harmful or dangerous. An employment contract has to be issued before work begins.

Dismissal and termination procedures

The 2013 Employment Relationships Act covers dismissal and termination procedures, including an employer’s obligations in terminating an employment contract. In the event of the termination of the employment contract due to incompetence, the employer must give notice of dismissal no later than six months following the occurrence of the justified reason. In the event of misconduct, the employer must give notice of termination no later than 60 days after identifying the justified reason and no later than six months from the occurrence of the justified reason. If the misconduct on the part of the worker has all the characteristics of a criminal offence, the employer may give notice of the termination of the employment contract within 60 days of the date they identify the misconduct for ordinary termination; this applies to the entire period in which the offender may be subject to criminal prosecution.

In the event of termination owing to misconduct on the part of the worker that has all the characteristics of a criminal offence, the employer may prohibit the worker from carrying out work for the duration of the proceedings. During the period of being prohibited from carrying out work, the worker is entitled to wage compensation amounting to half of the average salary that they earned in the three months before the institution of the termination proceedings.

Entitlements and obligations

Parental, maternity and paternity leave

A mother has the right to maternity leave. Under certain conditions, this right may also be exercised by the father or another person. The mother normally starts maternity leave 28 days before the anticipated date of birth, as specified by a gynaecologist. If the mother does not start maternity leave at that time, the unused part of their maternity leave may not be used after the child’s birth, unless the birth is premature. If, on the day of giving birth, the mother has not begun maternity leave, it should begin on that day. Maternity leave lasts 105 days and must be used in a single block in the form of a complete absence from work.

The father has the right to maternity leave if the mother dies, abandons the child, is deemed by a competent physician to be permanently or temporarily incapable of independent living and working or is younger than 18 years and has the status of an apprentice, pupil or student. In the last case, the mother must give her consent for the father to use the remaining maternity leave. The father has the right to the same amount of maternity leave as the mother, minus the number of days that the mother has already used, which will be at least 28 days.

A father has the right to paternity leave of up to 30 days. This right is not transferable. The father must take at least 15 days of his paternity leave in the form of a full-time or part-time absence from work within 6 months of the child’s birth; he must take a maximum of 15 days in the form of a full-time or part-time absence from work before the child finishes the first grade of elementary school. Fathers receive compensation of 100% of their wage for this leave.

Parents have a right to leave in order to care for a child for a combined period of 260 days immediately upon the expiry of maternity leave. The amount of their childcare allowance is determined on the basis of the average pay that the beneficiary received in the preceding 12 months. However, the allowance may not exceed 2.5 times the gross average pay in Slovenia. Every parent has the right to 130 days of parental leave. The mother can transfer 100 days of parental leave to the father, while 30 days are non-transferable. The father may transfer all 130 days of his parental leave to the mother.

Statutory leave arrangements

Sick leave

According to the Act Amending the Employment Relationships (Zakona o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o delovnih razmerjih, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 114/2023), the employer must pay wage compensation from their own resources in cases where workers are unable to work due to illness or injury not related to work for up to 20 working days for individual absences from work, but no more than 80 working days in a calendar year. If a worker is unable to work due to an occupational illness or an injury sustained at work, the employer must pay the worker wage compensation from their own resources for up to 30 working days for each individual absence from work. In the event of a longer absence from work, the employer must pay additional wage compensation, which is covered by health insurance. Unless otherwise stipulated by law, the worker is entitled to wage compensation in the amount of their average monthly wage for full-time work during the previous three months or during the period they worked in the three months prior to the start of the absence. If, during the period of employment in the previous three months the worker did not work and received wage compensation for the entire period, the basis for this compensation should be the same as the basis for wage compensation in the three months prior to the start of the absence. If, during the previous three months the worker did not receive at least one monthly salary, they are entitled to wage compensation in the amount of the basic salary set out in their employment contract. The amount of wage compensation may not exceed the amount of pay that the worker would have received if they had worked during that period.

In the event of the worker’s absence from work due to illness or injury that is not related to work, the wage compensation to be covered by the employer should amount to 80% of the worker’s salary in the preceding month for full-time work.

The Health Insurance Institute pays an allowance from the first day of a worker’s absence from work if he or she:

• donates live tissue or organs for the benefit of another person
• suffers from the effects of donating blood
• has to care for a close family member
• has a medical condition requiring isolation
• is ordered by a doctor to accompany a patient
• has injuries that were sustained in certain circumstances

The base for calculating the allowance is the worker's average monthly pay for full-time work in the preceding year.

The employment relationship of a worker whose employment contract has been cancelled for a business-related reason or owing to incompetence and who is, upon the expiry of their period of notice, absent from work due to temporary incapacity because of illness or injury should be terminated on the day the worker returns to work or should return to work, but no later than six months after the expiry of their period of notice.

Retirement age

The retirement age for both men and women is set at 65 years, or 60 years if they have completed 40 years of service. The retirement age for men and women was equalised with a pension reform that has been in force since 1 January 2013. The equalisation of the retirement age was reached gradually over six years.

For workers, pay is a reward for their work and their main source of income; for employers, it is a cost of production and a focus of bargaining and legislation. This section looks at minimum wage setting in Slovenia.

Average monthly earnings for 2022 amounted to €2,023.92 gross and €1,318.64 net. They were higher in nominal terms (gross earnings by 2.8% and net earnings by 3.8%) and lower in real terms (gross earnings by 5.5% and net earnings by 4.6%) than the earnings for 2021. Compared with earnings for 2021, average gross earnings for 2022 increased in the private sector by 6.2% and decreased in the public sector by 2.5%. Fluctuations in earnings were, among other things, affected by measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2021.

Data for 2018–2022 show that the nominal growth rates of average gross earnings (compared with the previous year) were increasing in the entire period, but in 2022 the growth was slower than in the previous years. The real growth rate of average gross earnings was the highest in 2020 and the lowest in 2022, when it was negative (because of a higher average annual inflation rate).

Average monthly gross wage and salary per worker in the manufacturing sector, annual average, 2012–2021 (€)

Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

Minimum wages

The minimum wage is calculated in accordance with the Minimum Wage Act (Zakon o minimalni plači, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 13/2010), adopted on 11 February 2010, on the basis of published inflation data. The act stipulates that the minimum wage should be adjusted annually in line with the rise in consumer prices. The official data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia on the annual rise in consumer prices for the previous December–December period are used to calculate the minimum wage.

The minimum wage is not adjusted for different groups of workers.

Statutory minimum wage, 2017–2023 (€)

Note: n.a., not available.

Working time is ‘any period during which the worker is working, at the employer’s disposal and carrying out his activity or duties, in accordance with national laws and/or practice’ (Directive 2003/88/EC). This section briefly summarises the regulation of and issues regarding working time, overtime, part-time work and working time flexibility in Slovenia.

Working time regulation

The statutory weekly working time is 40 hours. It can be less than 40 hours but no less than 36 hours, unless the job entails great risk of injury or ill health. Full working time may not be spread over fewer than four days a week. Full working time is regulated by the Employment Relationships Act.

Overview of average weekly working time, 1 January 2019

Overtime regulation

The Employment Relationships Act defines overtime work as work exceeding full working time. The worker is obliged to perform it at the employer’s request in some exceptional circumstances. Overtime work may not exceed 8 hours a week, 20 hours a month or 170 hours a year. A working day may not exceed 10 hours. With the worker’s consent, overtime work may exceed the annual time limit but may not exceed 230 hours a year. In each case of required overtime work exceeding 170 hours a year, the employer must obtain written consent from the worker. Should the worker refuse to provide written consent, they must not be exposed to unfavourable consequences in respect of the employment relationship.

Part-time work

The Employment Relationships Act defines part-time work as work completed over a period that is shorter than the full working time set out by the employer. A worker who has concluded a part-time employment contract has the same contractual and other rights and obligations arising from the employment relationship as a worker who works full time. The part-time worker exercises these rights and obligations proportionally to the time for which the employment relationship was concluded, with the exception of such rights and obligations as are otherwise stipulated by law. According to Eurostat’s Labour Force Survey, part-time work constituted 8.5% of total employment in 2012 and 7.9% in 2019.

While the prevalence of part-time work is lower in Slovenia than in the EU27 for both sexes, the difference is much more pronounced for women than for men. While almost a third of women in the EU27 worked part time in 2019, only 12% of women in Slovenia did so. That percentage was relatively stable from 2012 to 2019. Full-time employment of men and especially women is enabled by well-developed policies regarding balancing work and family life and motivated by financial reasons.

Night work

The Employment Relationships Act defines night work as work carried out between 23:00 and 06:00. If working time is distributed so that it involves a night shift, night work is defined as work carried out for eight uninterrupted hours between 22:00 and 07:00.

Shift work

The Employment Relationships Act does not mention shift work as work under special conditions and consequently does not prescribe additional payment for it. Shift work may be defined in branch collective agreements. The collective agreement for the retail sector (2014) defines shift work as work that is performed in the morning, afternoon or night on a rotational basis and lasts for six to eight hours a day, depending on whether it is performed over a five- or six-day working week. In shift work, the worker works the morning shift on one week or day and the afternoon or night shift the next week or day. The afternoon shift involves a worker working 75% or more of their regular working time after 12:00. The night shift involves a worker working 75% or more of their regular working time between 22:00 and 7:00.

Weekend work

With regard to weekend work, the Employment Relationships Act stipulates that additional payments must be set out for special working conditions related to the distribution of working time, including Sunday work. The amount of the additional payment for such work may be set out in the collective agreement as a nominal amount or as a percentage of the basic salary for full working time, or as an appropriate hourly rate.

Rest and breaks

In accordance with the Employment Relationships Act, a worker who works full time has the right to a 30-minute break during the working day. A worker who works part time, but for at least four hours a day, has the right to a break during the working day in proportion to the time spent at work. In the event of the irregular distribution or temporary redistribution of working time, the time of a break is set in proportion to the duration of the daily working time. The worker may take a break no earlier than after one hour of work and no later than one hour prior to the end of their working time. A break during the working day is included in their working time.

A worker has the right to a rest period of at least 12 uninterrupted hours within a period of 24 hours. A worker whose working time is irregularly distributed or temporarily redistributed has the right to a daily rest period of at least 11 hours within a period of 24 hours. In addition to the right to a daily rest period, a worker has the right to a rest period of at least 24 uninterrupted hours within a period of seven successive days.

Rests and breaks may be set differently for certain categories of workers in their employment contracts if their working time cannot be distributed in advance or if the worker can distribute their working time independently and if their health and safety is ensured.

Working time flexibility

Working time flexibility is not regulated by law. It is regulated by collective agreements or general acts at company level.

In more than one-third of establishments in Slovenia, a majority of employees have the opportunity to adapt the start and end of their working day according to their personal needs. This opportunity is two times more likely to be given in small establishments than in medium-sized and large establishments. This option exists for a certain number of employees in 43% of large establishments. In almost half (46%) of medium-sized establishments, none or fewer than 20% have this option.

Maintaining health and well-being should be a high priority for workers and employers alike. Health is an asset closely associated with a person’s quality of life and longevity, as well as their ability to work. A healthy economy depends on a healthy workforce: organisations can experience loss of productivity through the ill health of their workers. This section looks at psychosocial risks and health and safety at work in Slovenia.

Health and safety at work

Health and safety at work is regulated by the Health and Safety at Work Act (Zakon o varnosti in zdravju pri delu, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 43/2011). The health and safety at work section of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities is responsible for drafting acts and other regulations concerning this field. The section also prepares expert opinions, analyses, reports, information and other materials concerning health and safety at work. Its work includes issuing work permits for carrying out professional tasks in the field and issuing authorisations for carrying out training for health and safety coordinators at construction sites. The section monitors and assesses the situation in the field of health and safety at work and subsequently prepares uniform health and safety arrangements. It also promotes health and safety at work by organising debates and publishing various promotional materials.

Total work accidents, 2011–2021

Sources: Annual reports of the Labour Inspectorate

The total number of accidents was relatively stable in 2013–2016. The number of fatal accidents decreased significantly in 2016. The total number of accidents reported in 2020 increased by more than 30% compared with 2019.

Psychosocial risks

The Health and Safety at Work Act regulates the entire field of health and safety at work. Psychosocial risks at work are addressed in Articles 24 and 29 of this act. The employer must adopt measures to prevent, eliminate and manage cases of violence, mobbing, harassment and other forms of psychosocial risks in the workplace that can pose a threat to workers’ health. It is the safety officer’s task to coordinate measures to prevent psychosocial risks.

Skills are the passport to employment; the more highly skilled an individual, the more employable they are. People with good skills also tend to secure better-quality jobs and better earnings. This section briefly summarises the Slovenian system for ensuring skills and employability and looks at training provision.

National system for ensuring skills and employability

The National Vocational Information and Counselling Centre at the Employment Service of Slovenia offers the following services: descriptions of vocations; information on (upper) secondary and higher education institutions; information on opportunities for vocational training and studying abroad; information on financial aid available for education and training; postings of educational programmes; information on student residences; postings of jobs, directions and tools for more effective job searching; video clips of vocations; and computer programs for individuals’ independent planning of their educational or vocational pathway.

Social partners have an important role in the development and acknowledgement of occupational competencies and qualifications at all educational levels. Article 7 of the National Professional Qualifications Act (Zakon o nacionalnih poklicnih kvalifikacijah, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos. 1/2007 and 85/2009) stipulates that chambers, employer organisations, professional associations, non-governmental organisations, trade unions and competent ministries primarily perform the following tasks as partners in the field of the acquisition of professional qualifications:

• introducing initiatives for the adoption of study programmes at higher education institutes that allow for the acquisition of professional qualifications in accordance with Article 3(4) of the act
• introducing initiatives for new professional standards and catalogues
• proposing members of sectoral committees for professional standards
• performing other tasks determined by acts and other regulations

Training

The Upper Secondary, Short-Cycle Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate of the Ministry of Education performs administrative and expert tasks in secondary education, higher vocational education and adult education. The directorate draws up draft regulations; implements regulations; informs the public about professional and legislative issues; carries out tasks related to financing, international networking and cooperation, and planning; develops strategic bases to regulate education policies; and prepares a national programme for adult education. Higher vocational education complements or completes the range of services in tertiary education.

The principle of equal treatment requires that all people – and, in the context of the workplace, all workers – have the right to receive the same treatment, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of criteria such as age, sex, disability, nationality, race and religion.

The legal basis for ensuring equality and non-discrimination at work is the Employment Relationships Act. Article 6 of the act prohibits all forms of direct or indirect discrimination and retaliatory measures.

The Advocate of the Principle of Equality helps people who are discriminated against in legal and other proceedings by giving advice on legal remedies and how to obtain them through other national authorities. Bringing a proceeding before the advocate is free and confidential.

The following inspection services supervise the implementation of legislation in certain social areas, with particular emphasis on protection against discrimination:

• for cases of violations concerning employment and labour relations, the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia
• for cases concerning education and training, the Education Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia
• for cases concerning access to and the provision of goods and services, the Market Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia

Inspectors must deal with complaints, messages and other documents within their area of responsibility.

Equal pay and gender pay gap

Article 133 of the Employment Relationships Act stipulates that the employer must provide equal pay for equal work and for work of equal value to workers, regardless of their sex. Provisions in an employment contract, a collective agreement or an employer’s general act that are contrary to this stipulation should be regarded as invalid.

According to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, the unadjusted gender pay gap stood at 3.3% in 2011 and kept rising for a number of years, peaking at 9.3% in 2018. It then started decreasing quite sharply, reaching 3.1% in 2020. According to Eurostat data, Slovenia had the third lowest unadjusted gender pay gap in the EU, where the average for 2020 was 13%.

Quota regulations

There are no legal obligations to meet specific gender quotas in the economy. While gender quotas for electoral lists within political parties (a list should include at least 40% of each sex) were introduced in 2005, the discussion on quotas in the economy started at the beginning of 2010. The debate about gender equality in positions of power in the economic sphere was marginalised for decades. However, following the implementation of associated initiatives by the European Commission, it has recently gained more public attention.

However, there are quotas for companies for the employment of workers with disabilities. In 2014, the government issued a regulation on these quotas, which stipulates that any employer that employs more than 20 employees is obliged to meet the quota requirements. The quota ranges from 2% to 6% depending on the activity. If the employer does not meet the requirements, they must pay a contribution aimed at enhancing the employment of people with disabilities.

Employer organisations

• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS)
• Association of Employers of Slovenia (ZDS)
• Slovenian Chamber of Commerce (TZS)
• Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (OZS)
• Association of Employers in Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (ZDOPS)

Trade unions

• Trade Union Confederation 90 of Slovenia (KS90)
• Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (ZSSS)
• Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KSJS)
• Confederation of Trade Unions of Slovenia Pergam (Pergam)
• Independent Confederation of New Trade Unions of Slovenia (KNSS)
• Union of Workers’ Trade Unions of Slovenia – Solidarity (Solidarnost)
• Slovene Union of Trade Unions Alternativa (Alternativa)
• Association of Representative Trade Unions of Slovenia (ZRSS)
• Confederation of Slovenian Trade Unions (KSS)
• Trade Union of Energy Sector Workers of Slovenia (SDE)
• Slovenian Banking Union (SBS)
• Trade Union of Metal and Electrical Industry of Slovenia (SKEI)
• Seamen’s Union of Slovenia (SPS)
• Education and Science Workers’ Union of Slovenia (SVIZ)
• Association of Shipmasters and Chief Engineers (ZPU)

Government

• Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (MDDSZ)

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