Background information

In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Slovakian government adopted several measures to alleviate its impact on employers, employees as well as citizens. Several measures were implemented via changes in the Labour Code, Act on Social insurance and other labour related legislation. They also had impact on employment and working conditions of employees. It was not easy for employees to familiarise with many changes and expected some support and instructions from trade unions.

Content of measure

To assist employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, trade union OZ Kovo prepared the list of fundamental rights of employees. It is a guiding document, which consists of answers to 11 frequently asked questions of employees facing to problems in their employment during the pandemic crisis in Slovakia. The list provides concrete instructions based on respective labour and social legislation for employees on their rights and entitlements during the pandemic crisis. Most questions concern the rights of employers to change employment conditions of employees concerning e.g. paid holiday, dismissals, changes in working time schedule and job description, use of home work. Other questions concern employees’ entitlements, e.g. to wages, use of pandemic nursing.

Use of measure

The List of fundamental rights of employees is publicly available on the webpage of the Metal Trade Union Association OZ Kovo. Any employee, regardless of his or her membership in OZ Kovo, or in other trade union can use it. Since 8 April 2020, employees can use the instructions of trade unions to respond properly to concrete challenges affecting their employment conditions and wages in practice.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Trade unions	Trade union

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	No involvement
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Not applicable

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

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

This is an initiative of the Trade Union Association OZ Kovo, which prepared the List of fundamental rights of employees by its own experts. OZ Kovo responded to the demand of trade unionists for better guidance in orientation in actual changes in the labour and social legislation. OZ Kovo published the List on 8 April 2020, about four weeks after the Covid-19 pandemic was officially declared in Slovakia.

Views and reactions

According to the available information, the employees responded positively to this initiative of trade unions. No detail information is available.

Sources

• 08 April 2020: Listina základných práv zamestnanca počas pandémie koronavírusu (www.ozkovo.sk)
• 15 September 2023: Vlada odvolala mimoriadnu situaciu (www.ip.gov.sk)