
Payroll and Benefits Guide Slovakia
Last updated: May 16, 2023
Contributions
Employer
Employer Payroll Contributions
1.40% |
Sickness Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
14.00% |
Old Age Pension (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
3.00% |
Disability Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
1.00% |
Unemployment Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
0.25% |
Guarantee Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
0.80% |
Accident Insurance |
4.75% |
Solidarity Reserve Fund (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
10.00% |
Health Insurance |
3.02 € per day |
Meal vouchers |
275€ per year |
Recreation vouchers – for workers with 2 years service and above. |
35.20%+ Meal and Recreation Vouchers |
Total Employer Cost |
Employee
Employee Payroll Contributions
13.40% | Total Employee Cost |
1.40% |
Sickness Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
4.00% |
Old Age Pension (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
3.00% |
Disability Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
1.00% |
Unemployment Insurance (maximum monthly assessment base 8,477 EUR) |
4.00% |
Health Insurance |
Employee Income Tax
19.00% |
Up to 41,445.46 EUR |
25.00% |
41,445.46 EUR and above |
* The non-taxable amount increases to EUR 381.61 per month (EUR 4,579.26 per year). In order to claim the non-taxable amount on a monthly basis, it is necessary for the employee to sign a Declaration for the application of the non-taxable amount.
Employer taxes
Employee taxes
Minimum Wage
General
The national minimum wage is 700.00 EUR per month.
MINIMUM WAGE (PER MONTH)
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
The payroll frequency is typically month. The employer must make salary payments at least once a month.
13th Salary
There is no legal requirement for 13-month payments. Employers may issue bonuses at their discretion.
Working Hours
General
A standard work week is 40 hours, at 8 hours per day.
Overtime
All work over the standard working hours a week is to be paid as overtime and is regulated by employment contract/collective agreements. When an employee is requested to work overtime or work on holidays, there are maximums in relation to the number of hours allowed.
- Hours in excess of 40 hours a week are paid at an overtime compensation rate of 125% of the employee’s average salary rate.
- Hours performed at night, the overtime is paid at 140% of the employee’s standard salary rate.
- Hours completed on a Saturday are compensated at 150% of the employee’s standard salary rate.
- Overtime worked on a Sunday is paid at 200% of the employee’s standard salary rate.
Executive and C-level workers are exempt from overtime regulations.
Working Week
Monday–Friday
Leave
Paid Time Off
The annual leave entitlement differs depending on the employees’ time in service and the job sector.
- 4 weeks of annual leave (20 working days) for workers below 33 years of age.
- 5 weeks of annual leave (25 working days) for workers above 33 years of age.
- 5 weeks of annual leave (25 working days) for workers with children.
- 8 weeks of annual leave for specific professions e.g. teachers.
- Employees with less than 1 year service but have worked 60 consecutive days are entitled to annual leave accrued at the rate of 1/12 for every 21 days worked.
Unused leave can carryover into the following year but must be used within the year or they will be lost.
Public Holidays
Public holidays that fall on the weekend are usually lost.
Sick Days
The Employer pays for the first 3 days of sickness at 25% of the employees’ standard pay rate and from the 4th to 10th day of sickness at 55% of the employee’s standard salary. From the 11th day onwards sick leave is compensated by the Social Insurance Agency at 55% of the employee’s standard salary.
Sickness absence must be authorized by a doctor.
Maternity Leave
A female employee is entitled to 34 weeks of paid maternity leave. An employee expecting multiple births is entitled to 43 weeks of maternity leave, and a single mother is entitled to 37 weeks of paid maternity leave. Commonly, an employee would begin their maternity leave between six and eight weeks before the expected delivery date, and the leave cannot be less than 14 weeks by law.
The Social Security agency pays maternity leave at 75.00% of the employee’s daily salary.
PAID MATERNITY LEAVE (DAYS)
Paternity Leave
If a mother is not receiving maternity or parental benefits, the child’s father may take leave beginning when the child is six weeks old for 28 weeks.
Single fathers are entitled to 31 weeks of paternity leave paid by the Social Security agency.
Parental Leave
A parent or guardian can request parental leave until the child reaches three years of age. In the unfortunate case that the child has a long-term health condition, an employee can request parental leave until the child is six years of age.
The parental allowance is paid by the Central Office of Labor Social Affairs and family.
Other Leave
In Slovakia, in civic duty leave, an employer must provide unpaid leave to enable an employee to fulfil their civic duties.
An employee is also granted paid military service leave compensated by the military authority directly.
Termination
Termination Process
The termination process varies according to the Employment Agreement or Collective Agreement in place and is based on the type of contract and reason for termination. The employer may dismiss an employee with notice for statutory reasons, including the winding-up or relocation of the employer, redundancy, inability to perform work due to health reasons, unsatisfactory performance, or disciplinary breaches.
Notice Period
The notice period is dependent on the employees’ time of service as follows:
- Workers must be given a minimum of 1 months’ notice
- Workers with 1 to 5 years of service must be given 2 months’ notice
- Workers with 5+ years of service must be given 3 months’ notice
- During the Probation period, written notification of termination should be given within a minimum of 3 days prior to the exit date.
Severance Pay
Employees are entitled to severance pay if they have been terminated due to:
- Company being dissolved or moved, and the employee not wanting to move
- Employee is made redundant
- Employee is no longer able to perform the job for health reasons
An employee’s length of service and the reason and type of termination determines the severance pay rate. If an employee is terminated with notice, a minimum of four times the employee’s average monthly earnings is to be paid.
Probation Period
The length of Probation periods is limited to 3 months for Operational positions and 6 months for Managerial positions.
VISA
VISA
Slovakia’s immigration system provides several options for employers of foreign nationals. Slovakia is a member of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Area. Requirements, processing times, employment eligibility, and benefits for accompanying family members vary by permit type.
Business visitors to Slovakia typically use a local version of the Schengen C Visa, which foreign nationals must obtain before travel unless they are visa exempt based on their nationality. The Schengen Area generally limits stays to 90 days in any 180 days.
The main work authorization categories are:
- The EU Intra-Company Transferee Permit, suitable for the intracompany transfer of managers, specialists, and graduate trainees from outside the European Union
- The Single Permit for Local Hires, suitable for locally hiring experienced foreign workers where no local staff is available
- The EU Blue Card, suitable for local hiring of highly skilled, highly paid workers. EU/European Economic Area (EEA)/Swiss nationals do not require work or residence permits, but they must report their stay and register their residence if their stay exceeds three months.
Remote Working
General
The Slovak Labor Code legislates that working from home must be agreed upon between the employer and the employee in writing in an employment contract. Teleworking may be performed anywhere outside the employer’s premises, it is not required to be only performed from the home of the employee.
Employees and employers may agree that employees will determine their own working hours for more flexibility. In that case, the employee may lose its entitlement to certain salary premiums.
Employees’ right to disconnect outside working hours must be agreed upon between the parties.
Employers are required to reimburse employees for increased expenses related to telework as agreed upon in the Collective Agreement or negotiated in the employment contract.
Teleworkers should enjoy the same rights as on-site employees.
VAT
General
The standard VAT rate is 20%.
Stay up to date on payroll & employment law changes
Version History
Parental leave allowance is now 280 EUR per month or 383.30 EUR per month if the parent has previously received maternity benefits in the EU.EAA states.
Payroll contributions and personal income tax rates have been updated.

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Payroll and Benefits Guide
in Slovakia
What’s covered in this guide:
- Employer/employee contributions
- Minimum wage
- Working hours
- Visa requirements
And more...
Public Holidays Calendar
Day | Date | Holiday | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Sunday | Jan-1 | Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic | |
Friday | Jan-6 | Three Kings’ Day | |
Friday | Apr-7 | Good Friday | |
Monday | Apr-10 | Easter Monday | |
Monday | May-1 | Labor Day | |
Monday | May-8 | Day of victory over fascism | |
Wednesday | Jul-5 | St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day | |
Tuesday | Aug-29 | Slovak National Uprising Day | |
Friday | Sep-1 | Slovak Constitution Day | |
Friday | Sep-15 | Day of Our Lady of Sorrows | |
Wednesday | Nov-1 | All Saints Day | |
Friday | Nov-17 | Day of Freedom and Democracy | |
Sunday | Dec-24 | Christmas Eve | |
Monday | Dec-25 | Christmas Day | |
Tuesday | Dec-26 | St. Stephen’s Day |
Questions & Answers