Chapter X: Unemployment

When are you entitled to unemployment benefits?

Unemployment benefit (nadomestilo za primer brezposelnosti) may be paid to employed  and self-employed persons compulsorily insured against the risk of unemployment.  Unemployment has to be involuntary; it cannot be wilful or the fault of the insured person.

Additional conditions are that the insured person must:

have been employed for at least 9 of the preceding 24 months;

accept suitable employment (if there is suitable employment, no unemployment  benefit is paid); after a certain time, employment at one level of education lower must also be accepted, in addition to suitable work;

register with the Employment Service of Slovenia within 30 days after the termination of  employment;

be able to work;

actively seek employment;

be between 15 years and 65 years of age.

What is covered?

Unemployment Benefit is calculated on the basis of average monthly earnings (without a  ceiling and including income replacement benefits) received during the last 12 months  before the termination of an employment contract.

For the first three months, unemployment benefit amounts to 80% of the calculation basis.  After that, it is lowered to 60% of the same basis. The benefit paid cannot be less than  € 350 and not more than three times as much.

The duration of Unemployment Benefit is affected by the length of prior insurance. It is  paid for:

ƒ 3 months for an insurance period of 9 months to 5 years;

ƒ 6 months for an insurance period of 5 to 15 years;

ƒ 9 months for an insurance period of 15 to 25 years;

ƒ 12 months for an insurance period of more than 25 years;

ƒ 19 months for insured persons over 50 years of age and with an insurance period of  more than 25   years;

ƒ 25 months for insured persons over 55 years of age and with an insurance period of

more than 25 years.

Additionally, the Employment Service of Slovenia pays pension and invalidity insurance  contributions for a maximum of one year until the fulfilment of conditions for retirement.

Persons receiving unemployment benefit are covered by the social insurance schemes,  i.e. mandatory pension and invalidity insurance, mandatory health insurance, parental  protection insurance and unemployment insurance.

How are unemployment benefits accessed?

Unemployment Benefit is claimed at the employment office of the Employment Service of  Slovenia. It is paid from the first day after the termination of employment. If the person does not register within the prescribed 30 days, the period of entitlement is  reduced by the corresponding number of days.

Your right to unemployment benefits when moving within Europe

Normally, the Member State in which you are employed is the one responsible for granting  unemployment benefits. Special provisions apply to frontier workers and other cross-border  workers who have maintained their residence in a Member State other than the one in  which they work.

Periods of insurance or employment completed in other countries of the European Union,  Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, may be used to fulfil the contribution  conditions.

If you want to look for a job in a different country of the European Union, Iceland,  Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you may under certain conditions export these  benefits for a limited period of time.∗

Further information about the coordination of social security rights when moving or  travelling can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/social-security-coordination.