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Factsheet for measure SI-2020-11/441 Updated – measures in Slovenia

Limitation of certain rights of healthcare workers

Omejitev nekaterih pravic zdravstvenih delavcev

Country Slovenia , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 13 March 2020 – 30 June 2022
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services
– Mobilisation of a larger workforce
Author Maja Breznik (University of Ljubljana) and Eurofound
Measure added 10 April 2020 (updated 31 January 2022)

Background information

The 'Decree on the limitation of certain rights of healthcare and associated professionals', issued on 12 March 2020, ensures the health safety of healthcare workers and their availability during the pandemic. Two ordinances (from 15 March and 27 March 2020) mandate deployment of doctors without a license and interns. 'Ordinance on temporary measures in health care to control the spread of epidemic COVID-19', published on 31 March, temporarily suspends all non-urgent medical procedures

Content of measure

With the declaration of the epidemic on 12 March 2020, some limitations of the healthcare workers and medical professionals’ rights came into force. They are not allowed to travel to infected areas or areas with the direct risk of infection outside Slovenia. During the epidemic, they have no longer the right to annual leave holiday, the right to strike, and the right to education in infected areas. Two subsequent ordinances mandate participation of doctors without license and interns in healthcare services. The last ordinance from 31 March 2020 suspended all preventive health services. Directors of health centres and hospitals must, at the request of the minister of health, redeploy their staff to tasks related to curbing and managing the epidemic

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

27 December 2021

The tenth COVID-19 law (ZDUPŠOP), adopted by the Parliament on 27 December 2021, extends the temporary relocation of health and care workers among health institutions, care homes, and crisis accommodation centres until 30 June 2022.

29 December 2020

The seventh COVID-19 law (ZIUPOPDVE), adopted by the Parliament on 29 December 2020, extends the temporary relocation of health and care workers among health institutions, care homes, and crisis accommodation centers until 31 December 2021. Workers concerned are entitled to 30% bonus during their relocation. Due to the lack of workers in the health sector, an exception is made for foreign health workers. If they are only temporarily employed, do not need to prove the knowledge of Slovenian. The exception will be in force until 31 December 2021.

18 October 2020

With the second wave of the epidemic and the issuing of the fifth emergency law (ZZUOOP), health and care workers are subject to a certain limitation of their rights. Upon the employer’s decision, health and care workers can be temporarily relocated to another employer during the epidemic. A worker can be temporarily assigned a job for which equivalent skills or qualifications are required. Temporarily relocated workers are entitled to 20% bonus. On the other hand, health and care workers in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, have the right to the 30% bonus. Within the fifth emergency law (ZZUOOP), there is a stipulation that the government can finance medical treatments in public as well as in the private sector of non-concessioners. It aims at the shortening of waiting lines for some medical treatments. Political opposition, trade unions as well as the 23rd Friday protest against government demanded the withdraw of this article. They claim that the government use the epidemic as an excuse for the privatisation of the public sector.

Use of measure

Measures relate to all healthcare workers in the network of the public health system, public and private alike. They are temporary and valid only until the end of the epidemic.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Particular professions
Workers in essential services
Does not apply to businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
European Funds
No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

No information yet available.

Views and reactions

No involvement.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not sector-specific.

    • Occupation (ISCO level 2)
      Health associate professionals
      Health professionals

Sources

  • 12 March 2020: Odredba o omejitvi določenih pravic zdravstvenih delavcev in zdravstvenih sodelavcev [Decree on the limitation of certain rights of healthcare and allied professionals (www.uradni-list.si)
  • 15 March 2020: Odlok o razporejanju zdravnikov brez licence [Ordinance on the deployment of doctors without a licence (www.uradni-list.si)
  • 28 March 2020: Odlok o razporejanju zdravstvenih delavcev in zdravstvenih sodelavcev - pripravnikov na področju zdravstvene dejavnosti [Ordinance on the deployment of medical and non-medical professionals - interns in healthcare activities (www.pisrs.si)
  • 31 March 2020: Odlok o začasnih ukrepih na področju zdravstvene dejavnosti zaradi zajezitve in obvladovanja epidemije COVID-19 [Ordinance on temporary measures in health care to control the spread of epidemic COVID-19 (www.pisrs.si)
  • 15 October 2020: Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences (Zakon o začasnih ukrepih za omilitev in odpravo posledic covid-19, ZZUOOP)
  • 30 December 2020: Act Determining Intervention Measures to Assist in Mitigating the Consequences of the Second Wave of COVID-19 Epidemic (Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za pomoč pri omilitvi posledic drugega vala epidemije COVID-19, ZIUPOPDVE (pisrs.si)
  • 29 December 2021: Act on Additional Measures to Stop Spreading and Mitigate, Control, Recover and Eliminate the Consequences of COVID-19 (Zakon o dodatnih ukrepih za preprečevanje širjenja, omilitev, obvladovanje, okrevanje in odpravo posledic COVID-19, ZDUPŠOP), Official Gazette, No. 206/200 (www.pisrs.si)

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Limitation of certain rights of healthcare workers, measure SI-2020-11/441 (measures in Slovenia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/SI-2020-11_441.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.