Article

5, 21, 22, 23, 32, 34, 59, 60, 66, 66a, 113, and 114 

Description

Among the beneficiaries of the labour market measures are jobseekers whose employment is at risk, that is workers searching for a job during their notice period in the event of ordinary collective or individual termination of the employment contract by the employer. The public employment service has to provide the jobseeker with a career consultancy and job search assistance, which includes activities for acquiring new skills. In particular, the programme must provide: 

• individual consultancy in creating an employment plan (for example, setting career objectives; assessment of interests, features, abilities and competencies; labour market research; making decisions on their own career);
• in-depth career consultancy, including assessment of an individual’s competencies;
• employment incentives, implemented in the form of employment subsidies;
• the promotion of self-employment;
• creation of an employment plan, that is a written agreement between an unemployed person and the Employment Service, in which they jointly define employment objectives, the time schedule of the unemployed persons' activities, and job-seeking migration area;
• the right and obligation to participate in active employment policy measures on the basis of the employment plan.

Employers notify the Employment Service of Slovenia about the termination of employment contracts via ‘Employer Portal’. On the other hand, workers whose employment is at risk are invited to register with the Employment Service of Slovenia within three days after the notification of termination of employment. During the notice period, they can be absent from work for at least one day a week due to a job search. For the time of absence, the Employment Service of Slovenia reimburses wage compensation to employers. Wage compensation amounts to the average wage in the last five months. Employers’ requests must be submitted within three months after the termination of the employment contract.

The unemployed person gains the right to cash benefit after 10 months of insured work in the previous 24 months. For those under the age of 30, the requirement is six months of insured work. A person must be granted a cash benefit for the duration of:

• three months for insurance periods ranging from ten months to five years,
• six months for insurance periods of five to 15 years,
• nine months for insurance periods of 15 to 25 years,
• 12 months for insurance periods over 25 years,
• 19 months for insured persons over 53 years of age and for insurance periods over 25 years,
• 25 months for insured persons over 58 years of age and for insurance periods over 28 years.

The unemployment cash benefit amount is limited. To view, the current minimum and maximum, visit the Employment Service of Slovenia.

A recipient of unemployment cash benefit who concludes a part-time employment contract retains the right to a part of cash benefit, proportional to full-time employment.

An unemployed person under the age of 30 receives a cash benefit for a period of two months for an insurance period of six to ten months.

Commentary

Between 2018 and 2019, redundant workers were obliged to register with the Employment Service of Slovenia within three days after the notification of termination of employment. Redundant workers also had to participate in the active labour market support measures. In December 2019, the amended Labour Market Regulation Act (ZUTD-E) cancelled this rule.

The same law (ZUTD-E) introduced an incentive for employment while receiving unemployment benefits for some categories (low-educated workers who have not completed primary education or who have completed primary education, lower vocational education, or upper secondary school). Unqualified, low- and medium-qualified recipients of unemployment benefits may receive a special incentive in the amount of 20% of the last unemployment benefit if they get full-time employment. They may receive this bonus until the expiration of the period for which the right to unemployment benefits was recognised to them but no longer than 12 months after the start of employment.

Additional metadata

Cost covered by

National government

Involved actors other than national government

Public employment service

Involvement (others)

None

Thresholds

Affected employees: No, applicable in all circumstances
Company size: No, applicable in all circumstances
Additional information: No, applicable in all circumstances

Sources

• Zakon o urejanju trga dela (Labour Market Regulation Act, ZUTD) (SI)
• Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities (MDDSZ), Letno poročilo o izvajanju ukrepov države na trgu dela [Report on the implementation of labour market measures], May 2023.