Understanding Termination and Notice Periods in Slovenia

Slovenia's Employment Relationships Act provides a comprehensive legal framework governing employment termination, ensuring clarity for both employers and employees. This legislation outlines specific requirements for standard and extraordinary dismissals, with clear guidelines on notice periods that allow adequate preparation time for all parties involved.

Types of Employment Termination in Slovenia

Slovenian labor law recognizes two primary forms of employment termination:

Standard Termination: Requires advance notice and can occur for various reasons including business-related factors, employee misconduct, or performance issues. Employers must provide written notification specifying the grounds for termination and available legal remedies.
Extraordinary Termination: Applies in cases of serious misconduct or contractual breaches and does not require a notice period. Employers must provide written explanation within 30 days of discovering the termination grounds.

Notice Period Requirements and Delivery Methods

All employment terminations must be communicated in writing, regardless of type. The notice must clearly state the actual reasons for termination and inform employees about unemployment insurance protections and registration obligations.

Valid delivery methods include:

Personal delivery at the employer/employee premises
Registered mail with return receipt
Posting on accessible notice boards at the workplace

Refusal to accept delivery does not invalidate the termination notice. The party initiating termination bears responsibility for providing evidence of delivery attempts.

Notice Period Duration Based on Employment Circumstances

Notice periods vary significantly depending on employment duration and termination circumstances:

Termination Scenario	Notice Period
During probation period	7 days
Employee-initiated termination	15-30 days (contractually extendable to 60 days maximum)
Employer-initiated termination	15-60 days based on seniority
Employees with 25+ years service	80 days (minimum 60 days if collective agreement differs)
Termination without valid reason	15 days

Notice periods begin from delivery date or later date specified in redundancy plans. Employees terminated by employers receive paid time off (minimum 2 hours weekly) during notice period to seek new employment.

Valid Grounds for Termination

Employer-Initiated Termination

Employers may terminate employment for:

Contractual obligation breaches
Provision of false information
Unexcused absences
Legal work prohibitions
Refusal of work transfers
Non-compliance with medical instructions

During extraordinary termination procedures, employers may suspend employees from work while providing proportional salary compensation.

Employee-Initiated Resignation

Employees may resign when employers:

Fail to provide work
Withhold salary or compensation
Neglect social security payments
Violate workplace safety standards
Practice discrimination
Permit workplace harassment

Employees must first notify employers in writing of violations and inform labor inspectors. If unresolved, employees may proceed with extraordinary termination and claim severance plus notice period compensation.

Severance Pay Regulations

Slovenian law mandates severance payments when termination results from business reasons or capability issues, unless collective agreements specify otherwise. Calculation bases on average monthly salary from three months preceding termination.

Severance amounts are calculated as:

1-10 years employment: 1/5 monthly salary per year
10-20 years employment: 1/4 monthly salary per year
20+ years employment: 1/3 monthly salary per year

Total severance cannot exceed 10 times the average monthly salary unless collective agreements specify higher amounts. During compulsory liquidation, parties may negotiate alternative payment arrangements.

Protected Employee Categories

Special protections apply to:

Pregnant workers and nursing mothers
Employees on parental leave
Workers aged 58+ approaching retirement
Employees with disabilities (specific conditions apply)
Trainees (except under extraordinary circumstances)

Unlawful Termination Consequences

Violations of termination procedures may result in:

Reinstatement orders
Compensation payments
Back-pay requirements

Protected grounds include illness-related absence, parental leave, trade union activities, anti-discrimination protections, and military service.

Termination Process Overview

Establish valid termination grounds
Determine appropriate notice period
Prepare written notification with reasons and remedies
Ensure proper delivery
Calculate and process severance payments
Maintain comprehensive documentation
Report to labor inspectorate when required

Unemployment Benefits Structure

Slovenia's unemployment system provides:

First 3 months: 80% of previous salary
Subsequent 9 months: 50% of average salary from preceding 8 months (5 months for under-30s)
Monthly benefits range: €530.19 - €892.50
Payment dates: By 15th monthly (adjusted for weekends/holidays)
Full social security coverage during benefit period

Benefit duration depends on insurance period, ranging from 2 months for younger workers to 25 months for those over 58 with 28+ years coverage.

Navigating Slovenia's termination regulations requires careful attention to legal requirements. SailGlobal provides expert guidance to ensure compliance and minimize legal risks in employment termination processes.

Slovenia Employment Termination: Notice Periods, Severance & Legal Requirements