This chapter covers parental protection (starševsko varstvo):

• maternity leave (materinski dopust), paternity leave (očetovski dopust) and parental leave (starševski dopust) and parental right to reduced working hours resulting from parenthood (pravica staršev do krajšega delovnega časa zaradi starševstva);
• the right to the payment of social security contributions as a result of parenthood in the instance of four or more children (pravica do plačila prispevkov za socialno varnost zaradi starševstva v primeru štirih ali več otrok) and the right to benefits during nursing (pravica do nadomestila v času odmora za dojenje).

In what situation can I claim?

All persons included in the insurance list for parental protection are entitled to parental protection and social security contributions for parental protection. They must be covered from the day prior to starting parental leave or for at least 12 months in the past 3 years.

The following are covered by the extent of rights for parental care cover:

• the right to leave;
• the right to benefit (starševsko nadomestilo);
• the right to part-time work and the right to payment of social security contributions owing to parenthood;
• the right to the payment of contributions in the instance of four or more children;
• the right to benefits during nursing and the right to payment of social security contributions during nursing.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Leave is the right to be absent from work as a result of birth and child care and is divided into the following:

• Maternity leave (materinski dopust) as a rule begins 28 days prior to the anticipated date of birth and amounts to 105 calendar days. The mother must compulsorily make use of 15 days of maternity leave. As an exception the father or guardian is entitled to leave in the case of absence (death of mother or abandonment) or incapacity of the mother.
• Paternity leave (očetovski dopust) is the right of the father and is not transferrable. The father is entitled to 30 calendar days (plus additional 10 days for the birth of twins or 20 days for triplets).
• Parental leave (straševski dopust) is intended for further care of the child and begins on expiry of maternity leave. Each of the parents is entitled to child care leave (130 days each, of which the mother may transfer 100 days to the father so that the father may use 230 days; the father may transfer all 130 days so that the mother may use 260 days) or the adoptive parent or guardian/foster parent. Leave for an adoptive parent takes effect at the latest 15 days following the placement of the child in the adopted family with the intention of adoption or on announcement of adoption.

Benefit is compensation or a special payment within the scheme of insurance for parental protection. The types of compensation connected to individual types of leave are:

• maternity allowance during maternity leave;
• paternity allowance during paternity leave for 30 days;
• parental allowance during parental leave.

The right to part-time work resulting from parenthood (not less than half of full working hours) may be granted to one of the parents caring for:

• a child under 3 years of age;
• moderate or serious physical impairment or moderate or serious mental handicap up to 18 years of age;
• at least two children up until completion of the first year of primary education of the youngest child (1 year of the right is non-transferrable for each of the parents).

Part-time work must include at least half of the weekly working obligations. Rights are to be recognised from the day when the parent begins part-time work if the right has been assessed at least 30 days following the commencement of part-time work. If this is not the case, the right will be recognised from the date of submission of the application.

The payment of social security contributions in the instance of four or more children belongs to one of the parents leaving employment to care for four or more children. The conditions for receiving this right are that:

• both the child and parent have permanent residence in Slovenia;
• the parent was covered by parental protection or has been actively seeking employment for at least 12 months in the last 3 years.

Entitlement is recognised upon submission of the application, 30 days at the latest following cessation of work and lasts until the completion of the first year of primary education of the youngest child.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Leave

Benefit

The base for individual types of benefit is a base from which contributions to social security are calculated for parental care in 12 consecutive months from which the last month is counted as a base from contributions in the month prior to the month of first application for leave. The benefit may not be lower than the basic minimum income (EUR 402.18) and may not be higher than double the value of the average monthly wage for ZUTPG indexation in Slovenia.

Right to payment of social security contributions in the instance of four or more children.

The parent has the right to payment of contributions for social security for the minimum wage.

The right to benefit during nursing.

On the basis of confirmation of a specialist paediatrician the mother is entitled to a 1-hour nursing break up until the child reaches 18 months of age.

Jargon busters

• MDDSZ - Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
• ZUTPG - Act regulating adjustments of transfers to individuals and households in the Republic of Slovenia

Forms you may need to fill in

• Mother's form for benefit entitlement on childbirth (form S-1/1)
• Father's form for benefit entitlement on childbirth (form S-1/2)
• Form for entitlement to maternity leave and childbirth allowance for the father, other person or one of the child's grandparents (form S-1/1-O)
• Form for entitlement to parental leave and parental allowance for the father, other person or one of the child's grandparents (form S-1/3)

All required forms can be found on the MDDSZ website.

Know your rights

The links below listing your rights are not European Commission pages and do not represent the view of the Commission:

• Details on rights for insurance for parental care
• Parental Protection and Family Benefits Act (ZSDP-1)

European Commission publications and web pages:

• http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=849&langId=sl

Who do you need to contact?

Rights for insurance for parental care are assessed by the Centre for Social Work, which is locally responsible in regard to the mother's permanent or temporary residence. If the mother is not resident in Slovenia, the authorised Centre for Social Work in the last instance will consider: the headquarters of the mother's place of work or activity, the place of the child's birth and the permanent residence of the child's adopted family.