Background information

The 'Intervention measures to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 infectious disease epidemic on citizens and the economy Act' (ZIUZEOP), adopted on 2 April 2020, alleviate the negative consequences of the epidemic on companies, exempting them from paying sick leave compensations in the period from 11 April to 31 May 2020 (Article 56). Normally, employers are paying compensations for the first 30 days of sick leave, and the Health Insurance Institute covers those exceeding 30 days of sick leave.

Content of measure

In the reference period, an insured person has the right to the sick leave compensation paid by the Health Insurance Institute since the very first day of sick leave.

The level of compensation usually depends on the reason for sick leave: it is, for instance, determined at 100% for workplace injuries and 80% for illness.

The Intervention act (ZIUZEOP) envisages higher compensation levels for infected persons: 90% compensation for those who, according to doctor’s instruction, have to be isolated, 100% for those who get infected at the workplace.

Healthy persons are not entitled to sick leave compensation. Belong to this category parents who have to look after small children during the closure of schools and kindergartens; persons who cannot come to work due to the suspension of public transport or border crossing; persons with chronic diseases; and healthy persons who have been in contact with infected people.

Use of measure

The measure addresses companies as well as self-employed persons, but not organizations directly or indirectly financed by the state budget.

The request to receive the sick-pay compensation from the Health Insurance Institute can be filed within 30 September 2020. The Health Insurance Institute estimates that the costs for sick leave compensation will be about €30 million (Dnevnik, 8 April 2020).

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Self-employed	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Social insurance	National funds

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

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

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

No information available.

Views and reactions

Trade unions and employer organizations have submitted proposals to integrate the law. In the case of this measure, they requested only some specifications. The two COVID-19 laws (ZIUZEOP and ZIUZEOP-A) were adopted under an accelerated procedure with no involvement of the Economic and Social Council. Its functioning was blocked because the new government, which came to power on 13 March 2020, had not appointed its members in the Economic and Social Council. On 20 April, trade unions protested against the exclusion of social partners in the preparation of the second emergency law (ZIUZEOP-A). They demanded the reactivation of the Economic and Social Council. The first meeting of the Economic and Social Council was held not before 15 May 2020. The Council then became involved in negotiations about the third emergency law ZIUOOPE, issued on 30 May 2020.

In relation to the changes adopted by law on 29 December, trade unions sent a letter to deputies on 21 December 2020, stating that it was insulting that a worker, working in a high-risk area, has to prove his or her inculpability.

Sources

• 06 April 2020: Health Insurance Institute, 'Odsotnost z dela in bolniški stalež zaradi novega koronavirusa (COVID-19)' [Absence from work and sick leave due to new coronavirus (COVID-19) (www.zzzs.si)
• 10 April 2020: Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za zajezitev epidemije COVID-19 in omilitev njenih posledic za državljane in gospodarstvo (ZIUZEOP) [Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy (www.pisrs.si)
• 20 April 2020: Request of trade unions to be included in the preparation of emergency laws due to COVID-1 (sindikat-pergam.si)
• 25 November 2020: Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za omilitev posledic drugega vala epidemije COVID-19 (ZIUOPDVE) [Act Determining Intervention Measures to Remedy the Consequences of the Second Wave of COVID-19 Epicemic (www.iusinfo.si)
• 21 December 2020: Seven trade union confederations, Pismo poslancem [Letter to deputies (www.zsss.si)
• 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)
• 04 February 2021: Act on Additional Measures for Mitigation of Consequences COVID-19, Zakon o dodatnih ukrepih za omilitev posledic COVID-19 (ZDUOP), Official Gazette, No. 15/202 (www.pisrs.si)
• 07 July 2021: Zakon o nujnih ukrepih na področju zdravstva (Urgent Health Measures Act, ZNUPZ (www.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)