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Overview of Slovenia

Slovenia lies in in the southeast of Central Europe and is best known for its lakes, mountains and good skiing. The capital is Ljubljana and about 280.000 people live here. 2.08 million people live in Slovenia. The official language is Slovene, also known in English as Slovenian. Slovenia is a Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic. It became part of the European Union on the 1st of May 2004. 53.6% of Slovenia is protected land, one of the highest percentages on Earth and it is also one of the most sustainable countries on Earth. There are over 10.000 caves to explore in Slovenia.

When it comes to business, Slovenians consider themselves professionals and many have studies at prestigious universities abroad. Guests are expected to be punctual to a meeting and the Slovenians will be on time as well. Dress well for a meeting as the ability to dress well is seen as a status symbol.

Currency of Slovenia

  • Euro

Health Insurance and the Social Security system of Slovenia

In 1992, the Slovenian healthcare system was overhauled and it revised the method of financing. The Slovenian constitution states that the constitutional human right to social security will be realized through an access to healthcare and this will be granted to everyone, regardless of income. Healthcare is now financed mainly through employment-based financing and this is overseen by the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (HIIS). This results in both compulsory and universal insurance schemes as well as additional optional insurances.

Employees who are insured by public healthcare have a very comprehensive package. This includes the essential services – which include children and adolescents – family planning and obstetric care, preventive care, diagnosis and the treatment of infectious diseases (including HIV), treatment and rehabilitation for a range of diseases including cancer, muscular and nervous diseases, mental diseases and disability, emergency care (including transport), nursing care visits and home care, the donation and transplantation of tissue and organs and long-term nursing care. Less essential services require a co-payment ranging between 5 and 50%.

Employer cost of Slovenia

The cost for an employer to hire someone in Slovenia is a plus of 16.10% to the gross salary.

Salary and bonuses of Slovenia

Regular employees are paid monthly.

An annual leave allowance is paid by June 30th. It has to be at least a months salary at the current minimum wage.

Christmas bonuses are not mandatory but are quite common and are often tied to performance.

Commissions, incentives, and bonuses are variable and will be agreed upon directly with the employer.

Public Holidays in Slovenia

  • January 1st and 2nd – New Years Day
  • February 8th – Prešeren Day
  • moveable – Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
  • April 27th – Day of Uprising Against Occupation
  • May 1st and 2nd – May Day
  • 50 days after Easter – Whit Sunday
  • June 25th – Statehood Day
  • August 15th – Assumption Day
  • October 31st – Reformation Day
  • November 1st – Day of the Dead
  • December 25th – Christmas
  • December 26th – Independence and Unity Day

Working Hours in Slovenia

Office hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.

A regular work week is 40 hours although many in the private sector work up to 50 hours a week.

Overtime may not be more than 8 hours a week, 20 hours per month and 170 hours per year. Compensation varies per industry and is often part of a collective bargaining agreement.

Vacation in Slovenia

In Slovenia, employees are entitled to a minimum of 20 days vacation a year. If the employee is above 55 or is nursing a disabled child, the employee is entitled to extra leave of up to 3 days.

Sick Leave in Slovenia

When an employee falls sick in Slovenia, he/she needs to get a medical certificate from the doctor. The first 30 days of illness are covered by the employer and from the 31st day onwards, social security covers the sick pay. Sick leave is unlimited.

If the absence is due to a work related sickness or injury, the employee receives 100% of his wage while ill. The employee receives 90% when he/she is off work due to an illness and 80% when he/she is off work due to an injury.

Termination/Severance in Slovenia

When terminating someone in Slovenia, one needs an appropriate reason for a dismissal such as business grounds, incapacity grounds or faulty grounds. An employer may also terminate a contract exceptionally if the employee has demonstrated gross misconduct, the employee does not come to work for 5 days without an explanation etc.

The minimum notice period for termination is 15 days and the maximum is 60 days:

  • if the employee has been in service for more than 1 year but less than 2: 30 days notice

  • employed for 2 years or more: 30 days notice plus an extra 2 days for every additional years service (maximum of 60 days notice)

When an employee is dismissed for business reasons or employee incompetence, they are entitled to severance pay. The severance pay is calculated based on average monthly salary over the last 3 months and according to the length of service:

  • If the employee has been with the company for at least one year and up to 10 years, one-fifth of the employee’s basic monthly salary will be paid for each year in service

  • If the employee has been with the company more than 10 years and up to 20 years, one-fourth of the employee’s basic monthly salary will be paid for each year of service.

  • If the employee has been with the company for more than 20 years, one-third of the employee’s basic monthly salary will be paid for each year of service.

The maximum severance payment an employee can receive per law is ten times the employee’s basic monthly wage.

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