Extensive employer information duty and other important changes from 1 November 2022.
The Labour Code amendment primarily aims to implement two European Directives (No 2019/1152 and No 2019/1158).
The amendment introduces many changes to the Labour Code, but the most important is the new information duty of employers, which must be fulfilled in a rather broad scope. Employers are now obliged to provide employees with written information on working conditions and terms and conditions of employment. The new legal requirements are so extensive that they are certainly not currently contained in any employment contract. The amendment therefore affects every single employer.
From November, employers will be able to choose whether to enter into a more extensive employment contract with employees or to provide a relatively comprehensive written document which will include the information required by law. The question remains whether concluding a comprehensive employment contract or providing extensive written information will actually make employment relationships more transparent and predictable, which was the primary objective of the European legislator.
Digital nomads also in Slovakia?
The second major change is the possibility for the employee to set the place of work. What does this mean? For example, the employee can choose a place of work outside Slovakia. Of course, this entails certain risks for the employer in terms of social security, taxes and many other areas.
New trade union rights
Trade unions are now entitled to contact employees in an appropriate manner in order to offer them membership and to inform employees about their activities. The way in which employees are approached and informed about union activities is to be based primarily on the agreement with the social partners. In the absence of agreement, employers will be obliged to inform employees in writing of the existence of the local trade union to the extent provided for by law.
In addition, the amendment also introduces further changes, e.g.:
- changes concerning postal delivery of documents (storage period minimum 10 days);
- the possibility also to deliver the above mentioned written information by e-mail;
- changes relating to termination of employment;
- the same protection for fathers on paternity leave as for mothers on maternity leave.
Source:
- Act No. 311/2011 Coll. Labour Code