Social security
Your rights and obligations under the employment relationship and the registration for social insurance schemes begin to be exercised on the day of commencement of work agreed under the employment contract.
What should you pay attention to?
- Your employer is obliged to register you for compulsory pension, disability and health insurance and insurance against unemployment.
- Your employer should also provide you with a photocopy of your registration of work within 15 days of the day of commencement of work.
- Periods of insurance acquired in different countries are cumulative. However, you cannot be insured in two countries at the same time.
Find out about specific rights or areas of social security!
As a foreign national, you are entitled to unemployment benefit under a social insurance agreement between Slovenia and your home country.
If there is no such agreement concluded with your home country, you can exercise your right under the same conditions as Slovenian citizens.
Under certain conditions,citizens of Slovenia and foreigners, holding a permanent residence permit in Slovenia are entitled to financial social assistance. You can exercise this right at a centre for social work (CSD).
Financial social assistance is intended to help people meet their minimum subsistence needs. It is set out in the Social Assistance Benefits Act (ZSVarPre).
You are entitled to public funds if your income does not exceed the statutory income limit for individual rights to public funds, while at the same time meeting the other criteria provided for in the regulations governing individual rights.
All rights to public funds are to be claimed at centres for social work (CSD) using a statutory single application form for claiming rights to cash benefits, subsidies and reduced payments.
Application forms are available:
- on the website of the Ministry of Labour,
- on the website of centres for social work,
- on the eGovernment portal and
- in bookshops.
Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZPIZ) is responsible for the rights arising from pension and disability insurance.
Old-age pension
You are entitled to an old-age pension at:
- 60 years of age and 40 years of pensionable service without any purchase of years or,
- 65 years of age and a 15-year insurance period.
The age for entitlement to an old-age pension is lowered if you have children you have cared for and brought up for at least five years.
Read more on the ZPIZ website ...
Other types of pensions
You may also be entitled to other types of pension under pension and invalidity insurance:
- widow’s or widower’s and survivor’s pension,
- disability pension.
Read more on the ZPIZ website ...
Assistance in the exercise of rights
Pension and Disability Insurance Institute
Central Service Kolodvorska 15, Ljubljana
++ 386 (0)1 474 51 00
www.zpiz.si
Right to access information on the payment of social contributions
If you believe your employer is not paying your social security contributions, as they are legally obliged to do, you can go to the officials of the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) and ask them for a certificate of paid taxes and contributions.
Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia
General Financial Office
Šmartinska 55, Ljubljana
++ 386 (0)1 369 30 00
www.fu.gov.si
The Fund is intended for workers whose employment has been terminated due to the insolvency of their employer.
You are entitled to a payment from the Fund when:
- your employment has been terminated due to the employer’s insolvency or you have lost your job because of the removal from the court register without liquidation under the Financial Operations, Insolvency Proceedings, and Compulsory Dissolution Act,
- when the employer is based in one of the other countries of the European Union or European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), the employee has rights under the law if he or she worked or habitually worked in the territory of Slovenia on the basis of of an employment contract.
If you are employed in Slovenia, you are also insured for parental protection. You can contact a centre for social work (CSD).
The parental protection insurance allows the exercise of the following rights:
- maternity leave → maternity benefit,
- paternity leave → paternity benefit,
- childcare leave → childcare benefit.
Maternity, paternity and childcare leave can be arranged at the local centre for social work (CSD).
It provides adequate health and social security by covering the costs of treatment and care when you get sick, injured or have other health problems.
The basic feature of compulsory health insurance is that the rights of each individual or each dependent family member are exercised:
- by registering for insurance and
- paying the corresponding contribution under the compulsory health insurance (to cover only emergency and essential health services) and
- premiums for voluntary health insurance (supplementary, above-standard, travel insurance...).
Coverage of compulsory health insurance costs is provided by the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS).
Other coverage is provided by health insurance policies you take out with commercial insurers. Voluntary health insurance is provided by commercial insurance companies in Slovenia.
When you start working you are normally only registered for compulsory health insurance. You should therefore arrange for supplementary insurance on your own!
Registration for compulsory health insurance of all employees is the responsibility of the employer, who must perform the registration within 8 days of the beginning of the employment relationship.
You can check the information about your compulsory and supplementary health insurance on the ZZZS website or by a text message. See more information ...
Contacts
Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia
Miklošičeva cesta 24, Ljubljana
++ 386 (0)1 30 77 200
www.zzzs.si
Healthcare services for the uninsured
If you are not covered by basic health insurance in Slovenia, you are entitled to emergency or necessary health services.
See the list of healthcare services for the uninsured (without health insurance)
If you are unable to take out compulsory insurance, you should check with health insurers about possible supplementary health insurance schemes.
If you are experiencing social difficulties and problems, you can contact the competent centre for social work and non-governmental organisations providing assistance free of charge.
Association of Centres for Social Work
The association brings together 16 centres for social work in the territory of Slovenia.
You can call them by phone (between 8:00 and 14:00.) or send an email.
More information about the work of centres
Non-governmental humanitarian organisations
It offers legal advice as well as psycho-social support. In cooperation with other NGOs, it runs programmes such as a summer camp for refugees, summer holidays for refugee families and various workshops for refugees.
It provides various social, cultural and sports activities to improve the quality of life, help people learn the Slovenian language and raise public awareness of the issues it focuses on.
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