CMS Expert Guide to employment termination law and legislation

The Employment Relationship Act (‘Zakon o delovnih razmerjih’ or ‘ZDR-1’) distinguishes between ordinary and extraordinary termination of the employment contract. Ordinary termination is termination with notice period, which is only possible due to a business reason, reason of fault, incapacity to work, inability to work due to disability, or the unsuccessful completion of a probationary period, any of which render continuation of the employment under the conditions of the existing employment contract impossible.

A business reason occurs when the performance of certain work is no longer required under the conditions of the current employment contract due to economic, organizational, technological, structural or similar reasons on the employer’s side.

Reasons of incapacity are: non-achievement of expected work results because the worker has failed to carry out the work in due time, professionally and with due quality, or non-fulfilment of the conditions for carrying out work as stipulated under the law and executive regulations issued on the basis of law due to which the worker fails to fulfil or cannot fulfil the contractual or other obligations arising out of the employment relationship.

Extraordinary termination is termination without notice period and is only possible if:

• it is based on one of the exhaustively provided reasons in ZDR-1; and
• taking into account all the circumstances and interests of employer and employee, continuation of the employment until the end of the notice period or until the expiry of the employment contract is considered impossible; and
• it is given within 30 days of establishing the reason for extraordinary termination, and within six months of the occurrence of that reason.

The employer may dismiss an employee with notice for statutory reasons, including the winding-up or relocation (in case that the employee does  not agree with the relocation) of the employer or a part thereof, the redundancy of the employee, inability to perform work due to health reasons, unsatisfactory performance, or disciplinary breaches. An employer may terminate an employment relationship with immediate effect if the employee is lawfully sentenced for committing an intentional crime (a crime caused not by negligence), or has committed a serious breach of work discipline.

Termination notice must be given in writing, providing for an explanation of the reasons for termination and pointing out possible legal remedies available the employee and his rights regarding unemployment insurance.

In case of ordinary termination of an employment contract due to reason  of fault, the employer must, before serving the employee with termination notice, give the employee a written warning regarding fulfilment of his obligations and the possibility of termination if he fails to comply. Such a warning can be issued within 60 days of establishing the breach and within six months of the occurrence of the breach. If employee commits another breach of this or any other obligation from the employment, within a year after the warning and if such breach is serious enough, the employer may terminate the employment contract.

In case of ordinary termination given by employer due to reason of fault or incapacity (or in case of extraordinary termination), the employer must notify the employee in writing about the initiated proceeding before serving the employee with a termination notice. The notification must include details of the alleged violations of the employee’s obligations or his / her alleged incompetence and thus provide the employee the opportunity to defend him- / herself within a reasonable period. The notice must be given at least three business days prior to the date of the hearing during which the employee can present his / her defence. The employer is (in some exceptional cases) released from such duty if it would be unreasonable to expect it to provide the employee such an opportunity. The employee can also request that a representative of his trade union and / or his legal representative are / is present at the hearing.

Notice must be given in writing (not by e-mail or fax), and signed by the employer’s representative in order to be valid.

Ordinary termination

The notice period depends on the length of service with the respective employer. As a general rule, the statutory minimum notice periods (unless otherwise determined by a collective bargaining agreement, employer's by-laws or an individual employment contract) are:

1. in case of unsuccessful completion of a trial period: seven days;
2. in case of ordinary termination by the employee:
   • 15 days for employees with less than one year of service and
   • 30 days for employees with more than one year of service;
3. due to ordinary termination by the employer due to business reasons or incapacity:
   • 15 days for employees with less than one year of service;
   • 30 days for employees with more than one year of service; and
   • for employees with two or more years of service, the 30-day notice period increases for two days for each year of employment with the employer but cannot exceed 60 days. For employees with 25 years or more years of service, the notice period is 80 days, unless otherwise provided by a collective bargaining agreement.      

If the employment contract is terminated due to employee fault, okthe statutory notice period is 15 days.

Extraordinary termination: there is no notice period.

Bankruptcy, liquidation proceeding, winding down of the employer or a compulsory settlement.

In a bankruptcy procedure, the bankruptcy administrator may terminate employment contracts of employees who have become redundant due to initiation of the bankruptcy procedure with a 15-day notice period.

In case of winding down of the employer for other reasons, the notice period is 30 days.

In the event of confirmed compulsory settlement, the employer may terminate the employment contracts of those employees who have been characterized as redundant in the redundancy programme with a 30-day notice period. Compulsory settlement (or compulsory composition) is a proceeding for an insolvent debtor which: (i) enables financial reorganisation of the debtor; and (ii) assures partial payment of the creditor’s claim, both aimed at ensuring the further operation of the debtor.

The general notice period is one month. In case of dismissal where the reasons are the winding-up or relocation of the employer  or a part thereof, redundancy of the employee, or inability to perform work due to health problems, the notice period is two months if the employment has lasted  for at least one year, and three months if it has lasted for at least five years. Where the dismissal is due to reasons other than those stated above, the notice period is two months if the employment has lasted for at least one year. If the notice is given by the employee, the notice period is two months if the employment has lasted for at least one year. If the dismissal occurs during a probationary period, a written notification (not a formal notice) should be delivered to the other party normally at least three days before the intended termination date (it is not obligatory to meet such a three-day notification period).

The statutory maximum of a probationary period is three months, and a maximum of six months in the case of managing employees. The probation period, and its length thereof, are subject to agreement between the parties.

The employer must inform and consult the works council or workers’ representative in relation to the collective dismissal of a large number of employees.

Save for exceptional cases, the employer cannot terminate the employment contract of a member of a works council or a workers’ representative without the prior consent of the works council. The immunity applies for the length of the appointment and a year after the lapse of the mandate.

If the employer intends to dismiss an employee who is not a trade union member, the employer must, at the employee’s request, notify the works council / works representative in writing of its intention to terminate (ordinary or extraordinary termination) the employee’s employment contract. The works council / works representative must give its opinion within six days. Silence is deemed to mean the works council / works representative does not oppose to the termination. It may oppose the termination if it considers there are no substantial reasons for the termination or the termination procedure has not been carried out in accordance with the ZDR-1. The employer is not bound by the opinion of the works council / works representative and can continue with the termination despite a negative opinion.

Dismissal of a member of the works council is invalid without the works council’s prior approval. Employee representatives are protected against dismissal for six months following the expiry of their term of office.

In cases of termination by notice and immediate termination, the employer is obliged to consult with employee representatives before dismissing the respective employee, otherwise such a dismissal is invalid. However, the employee representatives’ consent to the particular dismissal is not a precondition for its validity.

If there are no employee representatives then the obligation of the previous consultation does not apply.

If the employer intends to dismiss an employee who is a trade union member, the employer must, at the employee’s request, notify the trade union in writing of its intention to terminate (ordinary or extraordinary termination) the employee’s employment contract. The trade union must give its opinion within six days. Silence is deemed to mean the union does not oppose to the termination. It may oppose the termination if it considers there are no substantial reasons for the termination or the termination procedure has not been carried out in accordance with the ZDR-1. The employer is not bound by the opinion of the trade union and can continue with the termination despite a negative opinion.

An employer cannot terminate an employment contract of an appointed
or elected trade union representative without the prior consent of the trade union. The immunity applies for the length of the appointment and a year after the lapse of the mandate.

The trade union is involved in mass redundancies (see below).

Dismissal of a trade union member is invalid if the trade union’s prior approval has not been obtained. Trade union officers are protected against dismissal for six months following the expiry of their term of office.

The employer may only dismiss an employee who is pregnant, during breastfeeding (one year after birth) or on parental leave, and for one month thereafter, only with the prior consent of the labour inspectorate, if there are reasons for extraordinary termination of the employment contract, or if proceedings for terminating the employer’s business have been initiated.

Obligatory for disabled employees.

The employer must prepare a redundancy programme if it is established that for business reasons, the work performed by a certain number of workers will become unnecessary in the next 30 days. The numbers of workers who need to be made redundant for this to apply are as follows: 

1. at least 10 workers where the employer employs more than 20 and fewer than 100 workers; or
2. at least 10% of workers where the employer employs at least 100 workers but fewer than 300 workers; or
3. at least 30 workers where the employer employs 300 workers or more.

In determining which workers are to be made redundant, the employer must take the following criteria into consideration: the employee’s qualifications, work experience, performance, length of service, medical health and social status, whether the employee is a parent of three or more minors, or if
the employee is the sole provider for a family with minors. The employer can determine his own criteria instead of those provided by the collective bargaining agreement if the trade union agrees with them.

The employer must inform and consult trade unions, the works council and the National Employment Office (‘Zavod za zaposlovanje Republike Slovenije’) regarding its intention to institute mass redundancies and a redundancy programme for business reasons. The employer cannot terminate employment contracts until 30 days after the National Employment Office has been informed in detail of the mass redundancy. The National Employment Office may increase this period to 60 days.

A collective redundancy occurs when the employer dismisses more than ten employees within 30 days, if the employer employs fewer than 100 but more than 20 employees. If it employs at least 100 but fewer than 300 employees, termination of at least 10% of the workforce is considered a collective redundancy. If the employer employs at least 300 employees, then termination of 30 employees is considered a collective redundancy. At least one month prior to commencement of collective redundancies, the employer must negotiate measures to avoid or limit collective redundancies, and measures designed to mitigate the unfavorable consequences of collective redundancies with employee representatives. If there are no employee representatives, the employer must negotiate directly with the employees.

The employer must provide employee representatives, or employees directly, with all the information necessary to facilitate these negotiations in writing. A transcript of the written information must also be provided to the respective Office of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family. Following the negotiations, the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family, as well as the employee representatives, or directly employees, must be provided with written information on the results of the negotiations.

Not applicable.

Immediate termination of employment by the employer is possible only for a serious breach of work discipline by the employee or for a lawful conviction of the employee for an intentional crime.

The employer may immediately (with effect upon delivery to the employee) terminate the employment only within two months of learning the reason for immediate termination, but not later than one year from the occurrence of the respective reason.

The immediate termination must be done in writing and delivered to the employee, with the merits of the reason for immediate termination being specified in such a way that prevents confusion with any other reason for termination.

The employer may not immediately terminate the employment with a pregnant employee, an employee on maternity or parental leave, a lone employee taking care of a child younger than three years of age or with an employee taking care of a close person who is severely disabled. However, if there is a reason for immediate termination, the employment of the aforesaid employees (except for the employees on maternal or parental leave) may be terminated by notice for that reason.

If the court finds that the employer has failed to comply with statutory requirements, it will declare the employment termination unlawful and reinstate the employee with retroactive effect (ex tunc), recognizing the employee’s period of service and other rights arising from the employment relationship.

Instead of reinstatement, the court may, at employer’s or employee’s proposal:

1. determine that the termination was invalid and that the employment relationship lasted until the first instance judgment was issued; or
2. recognise the employee’s period of service and other rights arising out of the employment relationship – the employee is then given the rights arising out of the employment relationship as if the employment contract had not been terminated; or
3. award appropriate monetary compensation of a maximum of 18 months’ salary, calculated on the basis of the average monthly salary received in the final three months preceding the termination.

The employee may seek legal protection due to unlawfulness of termination within 30 days from the service of the termination notice.

Not applicable.

An employee whose employment contract has been terminated for a business reason or reason of incapacity, is entitled to a severance payment. The amount depends on the number of (full) years of service with the employer (including the employment with the employer’s legal predecessors). The basis for calculation is the average monthly salary, which the employee has received or would have received if working in the last three months prior to the end of employment.

Severance pay is calculated as follows:

• 1/5 of the average monthly salary for each year of employment with the employer if the duration of the employment is between one and ten years; or
• 1/4 of the average monthly salary for each year of employment with the employer if the duration of the employment is between ten and 20 years; or
• 1/3 of the average monthly salary for each year of employment with the employer if the duration of the employment exceeds 20 years.

The amount of the severance payment may not exceed ten times of the average monthly salary received in the final three months preceding the termination unless an applicable collective bargaining agreement stipulates otherwise.

In the event of termination of the employment contract for a fixed period concluded for one year or less, generally with few exemptions, the employee is entitled to severance pay in the amount of 1 / 5 of the base (base being the employee’s average monthly salary for full-time in the last three months, or during the working period prior to the termination). If the contract is concluded for a period longer than one year, the severance pay increases proportionally.

The same provisions regarding severance payment as above apply to workers whose employment contract has been terminated in a bankruptcy / liquidation / winding down of the employer or compulsory settlement proceeding. In a compulsory settlement proceeding, however, the employer and worker may stipulate in writing the manner, form or reduction of the severance payment if a greater number of jobs with the employer would be jeopardised by a full payment.

Severance pay must only be paid if the employment has been terminated  by notice of the employer or by agreement between the employer and  the employee for the reasons of winding-up or relocation of the employer or a part thereof, the redundancy of the employee, the employee’s long-term medical inability to perform work, or the inability to perform work due to accident at work, occupational disease or its threat or due to reaching the maximum exposure at work set by the public health authority.

In case that the employee is dismissed for the reasons of winding-up or relocation of the employer or a part thereof, the redundancy of the employee or the employee’s long-term medical inability to perform work, the employee is entitled to severance pay equal to the average monthly earnings of the employee if the employment lasted at least two years, two times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted between five and ten years, three times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted between ten and 20 years and four times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted at least 20 years.

If the employment is terminated by agreement for the same reasons as stated in the previous paragraph, the employee is entitled to severance pay equal to the average monthly earnings of the employee if the employment lasted less than two years, two times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted between two and five years, three times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted between five and ten years, four times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted between ten and 20 years and five times the average monthly earnings if the employment lasted at least 20 years.

In case that the employee is dismissed or the employment is terminated by agreement for the reason of the employee’s inability to perform work due to an accident at work, occupational disease or its threat or due to reaching the maximum exposure at work set by the public health authority, the employee is entitled to a severance pay of at least ten times the average monthly earning of the employee, unless the accident at work was caused by the employee’s breach of health and safety rules or took place while he / she was under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or psychotropic substances.

A non-competition clause is only valid if agreed upon in writing in the employment contract. ZDR-1 allows the use of this clause for employment contracts for indefinite term as well as for fixed term employment contracts for managerial workers. The clause can last only up to two years following termination. The clause must provide for a method of calculating the compensation to be given to the employee, otherwise it is invalid. The employee must receive at least one-third of his average monthly salary (calculated over the three months immediately preceding termination) for each month of
the restricted period. If the clause prevents the employee from gaining a comparable salary, the employee is entitled to compensation during the restricted period.

A non-competition clause may be agreed only when the employment contract is terminated by mutual agreement, due to ordinary termination of the contract by the employee, ordinary termination by the employer due to reason of fault, or extraordinary termination of the contract by the employer and if the employee has gained technical, production or business know-how and business connections while carrying out work or in connection to
his / her work. However, the non-competition clause must not prevent the employee from obtaining appropriate employment. 

The parties can mutually agree to waive the enforcement of the clause if they wish to do so.

The employer may agree with the employee in the employment contract that following termination of the employment the employee will not perform a gainful activity competitive to the activity of the employer for a certain period of time, but no longer than one year. Conclusion of such non- competition clause is possible only if during the employment the employee is able to gain information or knowledge which is not commonly accessible and its use could cause substantial harm to the employer.

The employer is obliged to compensate the employee for complying with the non-competition clause by paying them at least 50 % of the employee’s average monthly earnings for each month of compliance with the obligation of the non-competition clause. The employer may only withdraw from a non-competition clause during the employment relationship.

The employee may terminate the non-competition clause if the employer fails to provide them with the above stated compensation for their compliance with the non-competition clause within 15 days of the compensation becoming due.

The employer cannot, without the prior consent of the relevant organization, terminate the employment contracts of works council members or supervisory boards representing workers, workers’ representatives (including those on the council of an institution), or appointed or elected trade union representatives.

Other categories of protected workers include older workers, parents and disabled persons.

The employer may not terminate the employment contract of an older employee, who has reached the age of 58 or of an employee, who has less than five years until qualifying for an old-age pension due to a business reason without his written consent.

This protection does not apply if:

1. the employee is assured a right to unemployment benefit until he fulfils the minimum conditions for receiving an old-age pension; or
2. appropriate new employment is offered to the employee; or
3. in the event the employee has already fulfilled the above conditions for protection against the termination of the employment contract when he concluded the respective contract, unless the contract was concluded according to item (ii); or
4. proceedings have been initiated for terminating the business of the employer.

The employer is not allowed to terminate the employment contract of mothers during their pregnancy, while breastfeeding of children up to the age of one, or the contracts of parents during their parental leave in the form of full absence from work, and for one month thereafter. This notwithstanding, the written employment contract can be terminated with the prior consent of the labour inspectorate, if there are reasons for extraordinary termination of the employment contract, or if proceedings for terminating the employer’s business have been initiated.

The employer may terminate the employment contract of a disabled person:

1. due to his incapacity to perform work subject to the conditions set out in the employment contract; or
2. due to business-related reasons;
3. but both are subject to the conditions set out in legislation governing pension and disability insurance or work rehabilitation, and the employment of disabled persons.

This does not apply if proceedings have been initiated for terminating the business of the employer.

An employer cannot dismiss an employee within a protected period, i.e. within a period during which the employee is acknowledged to be temporarily incapable of work (during sick leave due to a disease or  an accident, during pregnancy, maternity or parental leave or, for a lone parent taking care of a child younger than three years of age, during extraordinary military service, whilst having been released to perform a public function, or if the employee is medically acknowledged to be temporarily unable to perform night shifts).

Under Slovenian law, the managing director, that is a legal representative of the company does not need to have an employment agreement with the company, or any other type of agreement, in order to be able to represent the company.

The table below sets out the position under Slovenian law in respect to a ‘managing director’, who has been appointed for the term of office in accordance with the Slovenian Companies Act, with or without a management agreement (civil).

If the ‘managing director’ is in an employment relationship with the company, both corporate and employment aspects must be taken into account. From the employment perspective, the employer and managing director can agree to regulate their employment relationship differently than prescribed by law regarding:

1. the conditions and limitations of fixed-term employment,
2. working time,
3. provision of breaks and rest periods,
4. the remuneration,
5. disciplinary responsibility, and
6. termination of the employment contract.

If the parties do not agree to regulate their relationship differently, the statutory provisions apply (please see the general section above).

The managing director of a limited liability company may be recalled at any time by a resolution of a general assembly, irrespective of whether the managing director has been appointed for a fixed or indefinite period. The conditions for the recall of the managing director are to be determined in the contract concluded between the managing director and the company (management agreement). If the company has a supervisory board, then the supervisory board appoints and recalls (dismisses) the managing director.

At joint stock companies, the supervisory board may (prior to the end of a manager’s term of office) recall (dismiss) members of the management board for the following reasons:

1. if the member is in serious breach of his obligations; or
2. if the member is not able to manage the operations; or
3. if the general assembly passes a vote of no confidence in him (unless the vote of no confidence has been passed based on clearly unsubstantiated reasons); or
4. if other economic and business reasons exist (e.g. significant changes in shareholder structure, reorganisation, etc.)

A company may dismiss its managing director (as a statutory body or a member of a statutory body of an entity, i.e. not as an employee) without cause.

In limited liability companies, managing directors are recalled by shareholders’ resolution. In joint-stock companies, members of the management board are recalled by the supervisory board. In a one-tier system, the board of directors recalls the executive directors (if appointed). The manager / managing director must be notified in writing about the recall.

A valid shareholder resolution is required for revocation of the appointment of the managing director and for termination of any agreement setting out the terms of appointment. The managing director is to be provided with a copy of the resolution, or information regarding the dismissal.

The company has only to inform the managing director that the general meeting of shareholders has decided for the dismissal.

No statutory notice period. The notice period depends on the provisions of the management contract or other contract setting out the legal basis for the (contract / letter of) appointment of the manager.

Dismissal is possible without notice, and will be valid from the date of adoption of the shareholders’ resolution.

No involvement.

No involvement.

No involvement.

No involvement.

The recall resolution must be registered in the court/business register. The registration has a declaratory effect.

Not necessary.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The managing director cannot be reinstated (even if the recall was unjustified). However, the managing director has the right to compensation or reimbursement for damages in accordance with the general principles of civil law. There is no statutory compensation. Compensation is based on income, and provisions for its calculation are to be set out in the management contract or other contract setting out the legal basis for the appointment of the manager.

If no shareholders’ resolution has been adopted then the revocation of appointment will be invalid.

The amount of severance pay is not regulated by the Companies Act. According to the Companies Act, however, in joint stock companies the severance pay may be paid out only in case of early termination (and only due to specific reasons), whereby the general assembly may determine the highest amount. Severance pay is set out in the articles of association of the company or in (the managing director’s) contract.

No statutory severance payment; severance pay is subject to negotiation.

The articles of association of the company may provide a non-competition clause. To be valid, the prohibition on competition cannot be longer than two years, unless the member of the management board has been recalled (for the reasons set out above) by the supervisory board, or the managing director has been recalled by the general assembly. In these circumstances, the prohibition cannot be longer than six months.

Under Slovak law, a managing director is bound by a non-competition clause during the performance of his / her function. A post-contractual non-competition clause may be considered invalid if the contractual clause refers to the time after dismissal from the function, in which case the court may find it invalid.

Such clauses are common in practice, and provide the managing director with compensation. It is less likely that a contractual party will sue the other party before the court on the basis of such a clause being invalid.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.