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Leave in Slovakia
Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Slovakia
Adoption leave in Slovakia
Other leave in Slovakia
Public holidays in Slovakia
Protect your employees and your business
Leave and time off in Slovakia
Employees in Slovakia have the right to paid and unpaid time off work in various situations. For example, all employees are entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave per year. Employees can also get time off work for illness (sick leave), or when they or their partner have a baby (maternity or paternity leave). There are also different entitlements for study leave, funeral leave, leave to attend doctor’s appointments and more.
In this section, we’ll discuss everything employers need to know about annual leave in Slovakia, including how entitlements are calculated and how employees accrue and use their leave. We’ll also discuss some of the other types of leave mentioned above, including sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, and others. Lastly, we’ll explore how public holidays work for employees in Slovakia.
Leave in Slovakia
All employees in Slovakia have the right to take annual leave each year. Minimum annual leave entitlements are set by the Labour Code, though collective agreements may provide different conditions. Of course, employers can choose to offer more generous leave to their employees as an additional benefit.
Annual leave in Slovakia
The basic annual leave entitlement in Slovakia is four weeks (20 days for a full-time employee). This increases to five weeks (25 days) when an employee reaches 33 years of age. Employees with children also have the right to 25 days of leave.
There’s also a specific rule for teachers and school directors, who are entitled to 40 working days of leave per year. Employees who work underground or in certain heath-endangering environments are entitled to an extra week of leave.
Using and carrying over annual leave in Slovakia
Leave in Slovakia is generally scheduled by employers, subject to previous negotiations with the employees. Employees should be able to take their entire holiday entitlement by the end of the calendar year. If they are not able to use their whole entitlement because of obstacles at work or the employer not determining the holiday schedule, employees can carry over their remaining leave into the following year.
In some cases, employees can be compensated for untaken leave in the amount of their average salary. This is only possible in two scenarios:
- The employee’s untaken leave is in addition to their statutory entitlement of four weeks.
- The employee is leaving the company without having taken all of their leave.
Sick leave in Slovakia
Employees in Slovakia are also entitled to sick leave if they are too ill to work. For the first ten days of sick leave, employees are entitled to income compensation paid by the employer. This is:
- 25% of salary for the first three days.
- 55% of salary for the following six days.
From the 11th day of sick leave, employees can access sick pay through the social security system. This is available for a maximum of 52 weeks from the employee’s first day of incapacity for work. Employees on sick leave in Slovakia must provide their employers with a ‘sick leave confirmation’ from a doctor.
Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Slovakia
Employees in Slovakia are entitled to time off work when they or their partner give birth to a child. Read on for everything you need to know about maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Slovakia.
Maternity leave in Slovakia
Mothers in Slovakia are entitled to 34 weeks of paid maternity leave. This is increased to 37 weeks for single mothers and 43 weeks in the case of multiple births. Maternity leave typically begins between six and eight weeks before the employee’s due date. Employees must take at least 14 weeks of leave. Maternity leave in Slovakia is paid through the social security system at 75% of the employee’s normal daily earnings. Unusually, men can also take maternity leave in Slovakia (instead of the mother), assuming that they are caring for the child.
Paternity leave in Slovakia
Fathers in Slovakia are entitled to 28 weeks of paternity leave beginning when the child is six weeks old. However, they are only entitled to this leave if the mother is not receiving maternity or parental benefits. Single fathers are entitled to up to 31 weeks of paternity leave.
Parental leave in Slovakia
Parents or guardians in Slovakia can also take parental leave to care for a child up until their third birthday. This is extended to the child’s sixth birthday if they have a long-term health condition. Employers are obliged to allow employees to take this leave, but they don’t have to pay them while they are away from work. Instead, employees can receive a parental allowance from the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family.
Additional rights for parents in Slovakia
Slovak employees who are pregnant, on maternity, paternity, or parental leave or breastfeeding a child under three years old enjoy special protections from termination. Mothers of children between six and 12 months old are entitled to one 30-minute paid breastfeeding break per day. Parents are also granted an extra week’s annual leave in addition to the statutory four-week entitlement.
Adoption leave in Slovakia
Adoptive and foster parents in Slovakia are entitled to 28 weeks of maternity leave and pay. This is extended to 31 weeks for single parents and 37 weeks for those adopting or fostering more than one child. Adoption leave in Slovakia can be used until the child’s third birthday.
Other leave in Slovakia
Employees in Slovakia may also be entitled to leave in other circumstances, which may be paid or unpaid. Specific eligibility criteria and conditions depend on the type of leave and the employee’s length of service. Here are some of the main types of leave you may come across as an employer in Slovakia.
Leave for personal obstacles in Slovakia
This covers things like family emergencies or attending weddings, funerals, or medical appointments.
Study leave in Slovakia
This may be available to employees pursuing education relevant to their employment.
Civic duty leave in Slovakia
This allows employees to carry out civic duties such as jury service or holding an elected office. It’s usually unpaid.
Military service leave in Slovakia
This allows employees to take part in military service. It’s unpaid by the employer but compensated directly by the military authorities.
Setting a leave policy in Slovakia
In some cases, collective bargaining agreements may provide additional leave entitlements to employees in Slovakia. Employers are also always free to set their own leave policies, as long as they grant their employees at least the statutory minimum leave required by employment law in Slovakia. This can help to improve your offering as an employer, enabling you to attract and retain talent.
Public holidays in Slovakia
There are 15 public holidays each year in Slovakia, which are a mixture of religious, national, and historical celebrations. Most are on fixed dates, while some, like Easter Monday, are moving holidays. If a public holiday falls on a weekend day in Slovakia, it is not moved to a weekday.
Are public holidays paid in Slovakia?
For most employees, public holidays are rest days in Slovakia. If an employee works during a public holiday, they must be paid a premium of at least 100% of their normal hourly rate for any hours worked.
Public holidays in Slovakia in 2025
Here are the public holidays observed in Slovakia in 2025:
1 January
Republic Day
6 January
Epiphany
18 April
Good Friday
21 April
Easter Monday
1 May
Labour Day
8 May
Liberation Day
5 July
St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day
29 August
Slovak National Uprising Day
1 September
Constitution Day
15 Sepetember
Day of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows
1 November
All Saints Day
17 November
Freedom and Democracy Day
24 December
Christmas Eve
25 December
Christmas Day
26 December
Second Day of Christmas
Protect your employees and your business
As an employer in Slovakia, you need to understand your employees’ rights and entitlements. But keeping up with them can be a lot of work.
When you hire workers with CXC, we’ll ensure your engagements are in line with all local, national and international employment regulations. That way, your workers will get their benefits they’re entitled to, and your business will be protected from risk.
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