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Factsheet for measure SI-2020-43/1677 Updated – measures in Slovenia

Bonus for hazardous work

Dodatek za delo v rizičnih razmerah

Country Slovenia , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 19 October 2020 – 30 June 2022
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace
– Occupational health and safety
Author Maja Breznik (University of Ljubljana) and Eurofound
Measure added 08 January 2021 (updated 31 January 2022)

Background information

The seventh COVID-19 law (ZIUPOPDVE), adopted by the Parliament on 29 December 2020, provides employees with allowance for hazardous working conditions.

The measure has responded to critiques of the sixth COVID-19 law which has provided an allowance to doctors and nurses, but not to, for instance, cleaners who are working in places where COVID-19 patients are accommodated. Thus, the measure now expands the group of beneficiaries working with COVID-19 patients.

Content of measure

The seventh COVID-19 law provides 30% crisis bonus to all working with COVID-19 patients in hospitals and institutions providing social protection programmes, home care work, education and care of children with special needs, asylum seekers sick with COVID-19. The crisis bonus goes to public employees as well as workers employed with concessioners and subcontractors. The measure will be in force until December 2021.

To 30% crisis bonus are also entitled employees in the health and care sector from the pay group J, the group with lowest salaries (laundress, seamstresses, cooks, drivers etc.).

Pupils and students working with COVID-19 patients also receive 30% bonus to hourly pay. The measure will be in force from 19 October 2020 until the end of the epidemic.

A higher, 65% bonus goes to persons, working for subcontractors or employed in public works programmes if they work in areas highly exposed to COVID-19 infection. They obtain crisis bonus only for hours worked there in the period from 19 October 2020 until the end of the epidemic.

Updates

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

17 December 2021

Bonus for hazardous work is extended until 30 June 2022 ( Decision on the extension of the measures of entitlement to the allowance for direct work with patients or users suffering from COVID-19 and Decision on the extension of certain measures from the Healthcare Intervention Measures Act , both adopted on 17 December 2021). The tenth COVID-19 law (ZDUPŠOP), adopted by the Parliament on 27 December 2021, gives members of Civil Protection, pupils and students working with COVID-19 patients a bonus for hazardous work. It amounts to €10 for up to 4-hour work, €20 for a work between 4 and 8 hours, and €30 for more than 8 hours. The bonus for hazardous work is exempted from taxes, payment of social security contributions, the exercise of rights from public funds (except for the extraordinary money benefit), and the personal income tax. The measure is in force from 11 November 2021 to June 2022. The government can extend it for another six months.

07 July 2021

Urgent Health Measures Act (ZNUPZ), adopted by the Parliament on 7 July 2021, gave the subcontracting workers, who have direct contacts with COVID-19 patients, the right to a 30% bonus. In the seventh COVID-19 law, the legislator mistakenly limited their right only to social care institutions. This measure recognizes the long-denied right of, for instance, cleaners in COVID-19 hospitals. While doctors and nurses working with COVID-19 patients receive a 30% bonus, subcontracting workers did not have this right until recently.

Use of measure

No information is available so far.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Particular professions
Applies to all businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Trade unions
European Funds
National funds

Social partners

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

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Consulted Consulted
Form Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

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

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Social partners discussed the seventh anti-COVID package in the Economic and Social Council.

Views and reactions

No information is available about their views on this particular issue.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not sector-specific.

    • Occupation (ISCO level 2)
      Health associate professionals
      Personal care workers
      Health professionals
      Cleaners and helpers

Sources

  • 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)
  • 07 July 2021: Zakon o nujnih ukrepih na področju zdravstva (Urgent Health Measures Act, ZNUPZ (www.pisrs.si)
  • 17 December 2021: Sklep o podaljšanju veljavnosti ukrepov upravičenosti do dodatka za neposredno delo s pacienti oziroma uporabniki, obolelimi za COVID-19 (Decision on the extension of the measures of entitlement to the allowance for direct work with patients or users suffering from COVID-19), Official Gazette, No. 197/202 (www.pisrs.si)
  • 17 December 2021: Sklep o podaljšanju veljavnosti določenih ukrepov iz Zakona o nujnih ukrepih na področju zdravstva (Decision on the extension of certain measures from the Healthcare Intervention Measures Act), Official Gazette, No. 197/202 (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)

Citation

Eurofound (2021), Bonus for hazardous work, measure SI-2020-43/1677 (measures in Slovenia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/SI-2020-43_1677.html

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