Hire in Slovakia

Employer of record in Slovakia

If a lack of speed or local expertise are among your top concerns when expanding to or employing workers in Slovakia, an employer of record may be the best option for achieving your global growth objectives.

An employer of record, sometimes known as an international PEO, enables you to quickly hire and onboard workers in Slovakia ―often in as little as two weeks―without having to take on the cost and risk of establishing a local entity.

Learn about the hiring, employment, payroll and benefits requirements for workers in Slovakia and how our employer of record service, EOR, and local HR experts can help you manage your international employment needs.

Hiring in Slovakia

The constitution, statutes, and collective bargaining agreements govern Slovakia's employment relationship. The underlying legal regulation is the Labor Code.

A written contract generally establishes employment, although an unwritten contract is not void.

Employment contracts in Slovakia

As you look to hire employees in Slovakia, here are some standard regulations you’ll need to know to create a compliant contract, as well as how an employer of record and PEO can provide support for your unique HR needs.

Working hours

Regular work time is eight hours per day, 40 hours per week.

Employees are entitled to uninterrupted daily rest of 12 consecutive hours and uninterrupted weekly rest of two consecutive days, ideally Saturday and Sunday or Sunday and Monday.

Employees with work shifts longer than six hours are entitled to rest and meal breaks of 30 minutes.

Average weekly working hours including overtime generally cannot exceed 48.

Compensation

As you consider the appropriate salary to offer new employees, keep in mind:

• Effective 2024, the monthly minimum wage is 750 euros. The national hourly minimum wage is 4.310 euros.
• In addition to their wage, employees are entitled to an overtime premium of at least:
• Payment for time worked over the weekly norm must generally include a 25% premium, although the employee may agree to compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay.
• Employees required to work on a public holiday are entitled to a 100% increase in pay for the hours worked.

As your employer of record in Slovakia, we can provide you with resources and insights about employee compensation, so you are better equipped to make a competitive employment offer.

Bonuses

Although there is no legal obligation, it is customary for employers to pay year-end bonuses to employees in an amount equal to one month’s salary (the “13th month salary”).

Termination and severance

The standard notice period is:

• One month if the employee has been employed one year or less
• Two months if the worker has been employed more than one year
• Three months if the employee has been employed for over five years (this is applicable if the business is closing or relocating, other organizational changes occur, or if the employee's health deteriorates to the point where the employee cannot perform the job duties anymore).

The employer may terminate the employment relationship during a probationary period.

Employees are entitled to severance pay at least equal to:

• Their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer from two to five years
• Double their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer from five to 10 years
• Triple their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer from 10 to 20 years
• Four times their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer for at least 20 years.

In case of termination of the employment relationship by agreement, employees are entitled to severance pay at least equal to:

• Their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer for less than two years
• Double their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer for two to five years
• Triple their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer for five to 10 years
• Four times their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer for 10 to 20 years
• Five times their average monthly earnings if they have worked for the employer for at least 20 years.

Employees are entitled to severance pay at least equal to 10 times their average monthly earnings if terminated because of an occupational accident, an occupational disease, or maximum exposure to a workplace hazard.

Employee benefits and paid leave in Slovakia

When negotiating terms of an employment contract with a candidate in Slovakia, here are some of the statutory benefits and paid leave requirements to keep in mind, as well as how an employer of record can support your company’s benefits strategy.

Maternity leave

In general, female employees are entitled to 34 weeks of maternity leave. The duration is longer in the following cases:

• 37 weeks for a lone female employee
• 43 weeks if a woman gives birth to two or more children concurrently.

The pregnant employee may start her leave anytime between the sixth and eighth week before the expected delivery. The leave cannot be less than 14 weeks and may not end before six weeks after the date of childbirth.

The Social Insurance Agency may pay female workers on maternity leave, and employers are not required to do so.

Vacation

Employees who work a full year for the same employer are entitled to four weeks paid annual leave. Employees who work at least 60 days in a calendar year but not the full year are entitled to vacation prorated at one-twelfth of the total annual leave entitlement for each month worked.

Employees with 15 years of service or those who are 33 years old are entitled to a fifth week of vacation. Compensation for unused vacation is available only for days over four weeks.

Vacation can be taken in several parts, but at least two weeks must be consecutive.

Holidays

Employees are entitled to the following public holidays with pay:

• Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic
• Epiphany
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Labor Day
• Victory Over Fascism Day
• St. Cyril and Methodius Day
• Slovak National Uprising Anniversary
• Day of the Constitution of the Slovak Republic
• Day of Our Lady of Sorrows
• All Saints’ Day
• Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• St. Stephen’s Day

Public holidays are observed on their calendar date. There is no alternative date for public holidays that fall on a weekend.

Sick leave

The employer is required to pay the employee during the first 10 days of sick leave.

Thereafter, the employee is entitled to sick pay from the Social Insurance Agency. Short-term pay is 25% of the employee’s daily pay rate for the first three days of sick leave. From the fourth to the 10th day of sick leave, the employer pays the employee 55 percent of his or her daily pay.

Employees are entitled to seven days per year of compensated leave for treatment or assessment in a medical facility.

Health coverage

Social security also provides death benefit pensions, work accident payments, maternity leave payments and sick leave benefits. Employees contribute 4% of their salary to the social insurance program, employers 14%.

Additional benefits

In addition to healthcare benefits, employees in Slovakia are entitled to pension, which is funded by government tax revenues, as well as workers compensation, which is covered through mandated employer insurance.

Employer social costs will cover a large portion of employee benefits in Slovakia, but we can consult with you about supplemental coverage options, such as additional pension contributions or life insurance if needed.

Updated: April 10, 2024

Employee onboarding with an employer of record in Slovakia

We write and validate all local employment contracts, streamlining the onboarding process for you and your Slovak employees—all you have to do is provide relevant information and review and approve the employment agreement. As your employer of record in Slovakia, we will:

• Schedule a welcome call to discuss HR and employment information for Slovakia, as well as answer any questions
• Prepare a customized employment contract in English or other local language
• Share the employment contract and benefits information with the new employee for signature and review
• Gather tax and banking information from the employee to set up payroll
• Provide a local point of contact to the employee to answer any questions regarding their employment, local HR or payroll

The entire onboarding process for the employee is often completed in as little as two weeks.

Partner with Safeguard Global as your Slovakia employer of record and PEO

With over a decade of service, we are the longest-serving employer of record and PEO provider in the international market. Organizations around the world rely on EOR, our employer of record solution, to expand and hire in 170+ countries around the world, quickly and compliantly.

We’ve seen just about every global employment circumstance imaginable—and with our extensive knowledge of local law and culture, we know what it takes to get employment right in Slovakia. We provide written contracts in the local language, salaries in the local currency and HR support in your employees’ time zone.

Additionally, as a global payroll provider we support payroll administration—including payments, filings and other calculations— all around the world and can accommodate the payroll outsourcing needs of any size organization.

Whether you’re looking to hire as part of a strategic expansion or to meet specific talent needs, our global solutions advisors can walk you through your international hiring options so you can make the right choice for your organization. Contact us today.

Disclaimer

The information provided on or through this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Safeguard Global expressly disclaims any liability with respect to warranty or representation concerning the information contained herein, including the lost essence, interpretation, accuracy and/or completeness of the information in transit and language translation.