Working Hours and Overtime in Slovenia

What Are the Standard Working Hours In Slovenia?

In Slovenia, an employee whose age is 18 or older has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. An employee whose age is under 18 is allowed to work only 8 hours per day and 37 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 6 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours in Slovenia

Slovenian labor law caps the standard working time at 40 hours per week. However, with proper arrangements and agreements, employees can work up to 48 hours per week including overtime. The daily limit is generally 8 hours, but this can be extended in specific circumstances.

Overtime is permitted when there's an increased workload, to prevent damage or ensure safety, or in other exceptional circumstances. However, it must be ordered in writing before the start of work whenever possible. The law restricts overtime to 8 hours per week, 20 hours per month, or 170 hours per year, though collective agreements may set different limits. With the employee's written consent, the annual overtime limit can be extended, but the total working hours cannot exceed 230 hours per year.

Industry Specific Exceptions

Several industries in Slovenia have unique working hour regulations due to their specific operational needs:

 
• Healthcare workers often have different schedules to ensure 24-hour patient care, with shifts that can extend to 12 hours and special provisions for on-call time. With the worker's approval, overtime of up to 230 hours a year is allowed in healthcare, but this has to be stipulated in the employment contract.
 
• Transportation workers, particularly long-distance drivers, follow EU regulations on driving times and rest periods, which differ from standard working hours.
 
• Seasonal industries like tourism and agriculture may have concentrated working periods during peak seasons with different hour distributions throughout the year. The hospitality and tourism sector has specific collective agreements that address overtime arrangements, encouraging employers to allow employees to take time off for overtime or pay them within 6 months of when the overtime was worked.

These exceptions are regulated through specific collective agreements and sector-specific legislation that takes into account the unique demands of these industries while still protecting workers' rights to adequate rest.

Managerial and Exempt Employees

In Slovenia, managerial employees (or "leading workers" as they're often called in Slovenian legislation) are defined as those who independently manage business units or have special authorizations and responsibilities. This typically includes executives, directors, and senior management positions.

While these employees are still protected by general labor laws, they have more flexibility regarding working time. Managerial employees are exempt from provisions on limitations of working time, night work, and daily and weekly rest periods if they manage their own working time or if the working time cannot be predetermined due to the specific nature of their work. However, they're still entitled to adequate protection in terms of safety and health at work.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours in Slovenia

The statutory full-time working week in Slovenia is defined as 40 hours. This standard applies across most industries and serves as the baseline for employment contracts. Collective agreements may establish a lower number of hours as full-time work, but they cannot exceed this 40-hour limit.

This full-time definition is important for calculating overtime, part-time work percentages, and various employee benefits. Some sectors, particularly those with more demanding working conditions, may define full-time as less than 40 hours through their collective agreements, recognizing the intensity or hazards of the work involved.

Overtime Regulations in Slovenia

Overtime work in Slovenia is strictly regulated to protect employees from excessive working hours while providing employers with flexibility to meet business demands. The following sections outline the key aspects of overtime regulations that both employers and employees should understand.

What Counts As Overtime in Slovenia?

In Slovenia, overtime is defined as any work performed beyond the full-time working hours of 40 hours per week. Work can be classified as overtime when:

 
• It's performed at the request of the employer due to exceptional circumstances.
 
• It exceeds the employee's regular daily or weekly working hours.
 
• It's properly documented and authorized in advance (except in emergencies).
 
• The employee is physically present at the workplace beyond their scheduled hours.

Work performed during an employee's regular working hours, even if it's intensive or demanding, doesn't qualify as overtime. Similarly, work taken home voluntarily without employer direction isn't considered overtime.

Maximum Overtime In Slovenia

Slovenian law limits overtime to 8 hours per week, 20 hours per month, and 170 hours per year. In exceptional cases, with the employee's written consent, annual overtime can be extended to 230 hours. These limits are designed to prevent employee burnout and ensure adequate rest periods.

Employers who exceed these limits face penalties ranging from €3,000 to €20,000 for companies and €450 to €2,000 for individual managers responsible for the violation. Repeated violations can result in increased fines and potential business restrictions. Labor inspectors actively monitor compliance with these regulations through workplace inspections and employee complaints.

Overtime Payout Rates In Slovenia

Slovenian law mandates that overtime work must be compensated at a premium rate of at least 30% above the employee's regular hourly wage. This means an employee earning €15 per hour would receive at least €19.50 for each hour of overtime work.

The rates increase for work during specific periods: work on Sundays requires a 50% premium, while work on public holidays and free days mandated by law commands a 100% premium. Night work (between 10 PM and 6 AM) typically carries an additional 30-50% premium, which can compound with overtime rates.

Collective agreements in certain industries may establish even higher premium rates, and some employers offer time off in lieu of overtime payment, typically at a rate of 1.3 hours of free time for each hour of overtime worked.

Rest Periods and Breaks In Slovenia

Slovenian labor law places significant emphasis on ensuring employees receive adequate rest to maintain their health and work-life balance. Employees are entitled to a daily rest period of at least 12 consecutive hours between workdays, providing sufficient time for recovery before the next shift begins.

For meal breaks, employees working more than 6 hours per day must receive at least a 30-minute break, which counts as working time in certain industries where continuous work is necessary. Weekly rest requirements mandate at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week, typically scheduled on Sundays, though exceptions exist for industries requiring weekend operations.

Special provisions apply to younger workers (under 18), who are entitled to longer rest periods: 12 hours of daily rest and 48 hours of uninterrupted weekly rest. Employers are responsible for maintaining records of working hours and rest periods, with labor inspectors authorized to verify compliance during workplace inspections.

Night Shifts and Weekend Regulations

Under Slovenian labor law, night work is defined as work performed between 10 PM and 7 AM for multi-shift work, or between 11 PM and 6 AM in other cases. Employees working at least three hours during this period, or at least a third of their annual working time, are classified as night workers and entitled to special protections.

Night workers receive additional compensation, typically a 30-50% premium on their base hourly rate as specified in collective agreements. They're also entitled to extended breaks, regular health assessments, and transfer to day shifts if night work poses health risks. A night worker's working time over a period of four months cannot exceed an average of eight hours per day.

Weekend work, particularly on Sundays, is generally restricted except in industries where operational necessity requires it (healthcare, hospitality, transportation, etc.). When permitted, Sunday work must be compensated with at least a 50% premium above the regular rate. Work on public holidays carries a 100% premium.

Employers must provide alternative rest days for employees working weekends and ensure that no employee works consecutive weekends unless specifically agreed to in their employment contract or collective agreement.

How Playroll Simplifies Employer Responsibilities and Compliance

Expanding your workforce across international borders is an exciting step, but it can be challenging to keep up with ever-changing local labor laws and regulations in different countries. That's the advantage of using an Employer of Record like Playroll:

       
• Scale your global team: Legally hire and swiftly onboard new hires in 185+ regions without the red tape by offloading the HR admin to Playroll, so you can freely explore new markets and focus on growth.
       
• Stay compliant: Our built-in compliance checks and vetted contracts mean your agreements will always meet all legal requirements for working hours, overtime regulations, and more.
       
• Pay your team accurately: Ensure your international employees and global contractors are paid on time, every time, and set up centralized global payroll processes.