Phase
Act No. 5/2004 on employment services, as amended; Act No. 461/2003 on social insurance, as amended
Native name
Zákon c. 5/2004 o službách zamestnanosti, v znení neskorších predpisov; Zákon c. 461/2003 o sociálnom poistení, v znení neskorších predpisov
Type
Redundant employees entitlement to public support
Added to database
06 July 2015

Article

13, 32, 38, 40, 44, 46, 48, 49 (5/2004); 104, 105, 107, 108 (461/2003)


Description

The appropriate employment office of the headquarters of Employment, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR) informs redundant employees about available vacant jobs and assists them in finding a suitable job as soon as possible. If needed, the employment office, in cooperation with the job seekers, ensures their participation in skill development training courses necessary for getting the new job. The employment office can cover up to 100% of the cost of training. Job seekers registered at least for three month can also obtain a financial allowance to start work as self-employed.

Dismissed unemployed employees can also receive unemployment benefits. Unemployed employees insured with the Social Insurance Agency that have been paying compulsory contributions (including contributions to the unemployment fund paid by employers as well as by employees in the amount of 1% of the assessment base - in total 2%) for at least two out of last four years before registering as a job seeker are entitled to unemployment benefits. Unemployment benefits are provided for six months. The benefit consists of 50% of the daily assessment base - employee's average daily wage in the last two years (it is, however, limited by the maximum assessment base, which is two-times the average monthly wage in the economy).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entitlement period for unemployment benefit was extended and from 2022 going forward the unemployment benefit period was changed again to 6 months.

According to an amendment which took effect on 1st of January 2023, the following changes, with regards to unemployment benefits took effect: * Job seekers are allowed to register at any employment office regardless of their permanent residency location. * Mother or Father who had stopped receiving parental support, could be included as disadvantaged job seekers. * The amendment cancels a clause, which stipulated that foreigners could only be offered employment in counties with unemployment rate lower than 5 %.


Commentary

In practice, registered job seekers can use the unemployment benefits alternatively. After a period of three months, the beneficiary has the option of either continuing to receive the benefit for the next three months (as a maximum) or to cancel his or her registration as a job seeker and obtain a bonus in amount of the 50% of the due benefit.

The Social Insurance Agency paid 91,436 unemployment benefits in the total amount of more than €32 million during the extended entitlement period for unemployment benefit from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Year 2022 2023(September) Total n. of benefits 467 813 356 222 Total amount in € 239 393 399 € 197 990 089 € Avg. n. of beneficiaries 35 436 36 177 Avg. benefit in € 516,65 € 560,00 €

The average unemployment benefit rose from 516,65 € to 560 € from 2022 to 2023.

Unemployment rate gradually fell in 2022. In every Quartal the rate was lower than in 2021. On average it was 6,31 %, year to year decrease of 1,17 percentage point.


Additional metadata

Cost covered by
Employee Employer National government
Involved actors other than national government
Public employment service Other
Involvement (others)
Social Insurance Agency Employment, Social Affairs and Family Office (ÚPSVaR)
Thresholds
Affected employees: No, applicable in all circumstances
Company size: No, applicable in all circumstances
Additional information: No, applicable in all circumstances

Citation

Eurofound (2015), Slovakia: Redundant employees entitlement to public support, Restructuring legislation database, Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/legislationdb/redundant-employees-entitlement-to-public-support/slovakia

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