2. Family and Work Balance in
Slovakia
Conclusions of Family and Work Balance
discussion of Slovak students sent and
discussed with eTwinning partners in
Romania
These are conlusions Slovak students have
done studying family and work dimensions
and they discussed these issues with their
partners during videoconferences and
chats and through exchanging studying
materials with the partners:
4. Family and Work Balance in
Slovakia
In recent years Slovakia has pursued several
family policies aimed at improving the living
conditions of families with children and help
reconcile family responsibilities with work.
Increasing the employment rate of parents
with small children and helping with child-
related costs are considered by the
government to be the most important
objectives of current family policy in Slovakia.
Increasing the low birth rate (total fertility rate
amounted to 1.3 in 2012) is not an explicit
family policy priority: it is seen as a complex
issue which requires interventions across
several policy areas.
6. Family and Work Balance in
Slovakia
Support of parents to combine work and family life
Several social and family policy reforms during the last decade
addressed low labour market participation in the country. Efforts were
aimed at various groups, including parents of young children.
Mothers have the right to maternity leave of 34 weeks (37 weeks for
single mothers, and 43 weeks in the case of multiple births), of which
six to eight weeks must be taken before the expected date of delivery.
During the period of maternity leave, maternity benefit is provided
amounting to 65% of the assessment base (daily earnings calculated
on the basis of the previous year, with a monthly ceiling of one and a
half times the national average monthly wage). Parental leave can be
taken by the mother or the father until the child is three years old. For
children with long-term health problems, parental leave can be
extended until the child reaches six years of age.
In January 2011 a new form of parental benefit (paid during the period
of parental leave) came into force which permits parents receiving the
parental benefit to work without the loss of any part of the allowance.
In this case, parents must ensure regular care for their child (by
relatives, other persons or in formal institutions). The amount of
parental benefit is the same (€194.7 per month) for all eligible parents,
regardless of hours worked or level of earnings.
8. Family and Work Balance in
Slovakia
amily policy in Slovakia traditionally places
the emphasis on financial benefits. There are
currently many different types of benefit aimed
at different groups. The share of benefits for
the category ‘family/children’ represented
1.8% of total GDP in 2011. Generally, the at-
risk-of-poverty rate in Slovakia is close to the
EU average (26.6% in 2012, compared to 28.1%
in the EU as whole).
Fostering family-friendly workplaces in the
context of equal opportunities
9. Family and Work Balance in
Slovakia
on the occasion of the UN International Day of Families, the
government set up a ‘family-friendly business award’ to recognise
employers who create working conditions that take into consideration
the family obligations of their employees and who make efforts to
help reconcile working and family life. In 2008, it was extended to
include evaluation of measures relating to equal opportunities and
gender equality. Based on a more complex approach the title of the
name of the award was changed to ‘The employer with the best family,
gender equality and equal opportunities policies’. Ten criteria were
established, including working time flexibility, services for families,
personal development of employees, content of work, working
conditions, evaluation of employees, company-specific measures.
Companies are assessed by a panel consisting of representatives of
the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, employers and
employees’ associations, academic and research institutions, as well
as non-governmental organisations. On average, 50 companies fulfil
all criteria, coming mostly from industry, the health sector, IT,
communications and energy sectors. The award continues to have
institutional support.
