Unemployment support in 2025
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Published
May 26, 2025
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The essence of unemployment benefits
Unemployment benefit is financial support for people who have lost their jobs and have met the conditions set by law. The aim is to ensure that the applicant income while actively looking for work.
The claim arises from the date of inclusion in the register of job seekers.
Support period lasts 6 months.
The benefit is paid by Social Insurance Agency (SP).
Who is entitled to the benefit?
The entitlement arises for a person who is included in the register of job seekers (UoZ) at the ÚPSVaR and was also insured for unemployment before being included.
Compulsory insurance
Employees in an employment relationship.
Negotiators with a regular monthly income (DVP, DPČ, seasonal work agreement).
Members of the Slovak Armed Forces and Armed Forces and other persons pursuant to Act No. 328/2002 Coll., if did not meet the conditions for a retirement allowance/pension.
Voluntary insurance
Self-employed and other persons who pay voluntary unemployment insurance premiums.
Who is not entitled?
| Group | Reason for exclusion |
|---|---|
| Self-employed without voluntary insurance | Lack of unemployment insurance |
| Judges, prosecutors | Exclusion by law |
| Persons serving a sentence/custody sentence | Exclusion by law |
| Pension recipients (old-age, early retirement, disability > 70 %) | Simultaneous income from insurance and benefits prohibited |
| Contract workers – temporary work for students | They are not employees according to Section 4 of the Social Insurance Act |
| Negotiators – DVP/DPČ + pension/service recipients after reaching retirement age | They are not employees. |
| Negotiators – active advances | Special rules |
| Secondary school students / university students during mandatory internship | They are not insured against unemployment. |
| Carers with a cash allowance | Other type of state support |
Conditions of entitlement
Registration at the Office of the Inspectorate of Police – registration on the date of application.
Insurance duration – in the last 4 years must be unemployment insurance at least 730 days.
Premiums paid – with voluntary insurance, the premium must be paid on time and in full (debt tolerance up to €5).
The entitlement, amount or duration of the benefit has no effect the reason for the termination of the employment relationship or whether the employer paid the insurance premiums.
Insurance periods that are (not) counted
They are counted
Compulsory insurance employee.
Voluntary insurance in unemployment.
Foreign insurance periods in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, UK (document U1/E301).
Police/military insurance, if the applicant is not entitled to retirement benefits.
Parental leave, if the employment relationship lasted.
They do not count.
Periods already used for the award of the previous benefit.
Months without assessment basis (unworked agreements).
The exception is parental leave during the duration of the PP.
The periods are they add up – they may not be continuous.
Application procedure
| Step | Location | What to do | Result |
| 1 | ÚPSVaR | Form „"Application for inclusion in the UoZ register"“ | The office sends the data to the SP. |
| 2 | Slovakia.sk | Electronic application "Unemployment benefit" (eID, KEP) | Data directly from SP |
| 3 | SP (paper) | Fill out and send the SP form | Initiation of proceedings |
Please submit your application only once. The second (later) request is ignored.
Attachments: generally none; the exception is Confirmation of payment of insurance premiums for retirement benefits (Army of the Slovak Republic).
Relevant period (RP) & calculation of DVZ
RO = last 730 days before being included in the register.
Daily assessment basis (DVZ):
Special situations of RO
| Situation | SP procedure |
| RO < 730 days | It is calculated from a shorter period |
| No VZ in RO | A constant is used |
| Voluntary insurance only | If it lasted ≥ 26 weeks and the debt ≤ €5 → benefit from voluntary unemployment; otherwise constant |
| Parental leave | Varies according to completion/duration of PP (see supporting documents) |
Monthly benefit calculation
DVZ – rounded up to 4 decimal places.
Monthly allowance:
(dₘ = number of calendar days in a month)Rounding result up to €0.10.
Example
Average gross salary 1 500 €:
DVZ = 1,500 × 12 / 365 ≈ 49,3151 €
Dose in a 30-day month = 49.3151 × 0.5 × 30 ≈ 739,80 €.
Minimum dose 2025
Minimum monthly salary = 715 €.
DVZ constant = 715 / 30 = 23,8333 €.
Month type DVZ from constant Dose in 28 days 30 days 31 days 28 days 25,5358 € 357,60 € 383,10 € 395,90 € 30 days 23,8334 € 333,70 € 357,60 € 369,50 € 31 days 23,0646 € 323,00 € 346,00 € 357,60 € If the applicant had even a small income (e.g. agreement) with the payment of insurance premiums, the SP calculates the benefit from the real VZ, which may be lower than the table minimum.
Maximum dose 2025
| Period of claim creation | General Assembly | Max DVZ | 28 day dose | 30 days | 31 days |
| 1. 7. 2024 – 30. 6. 2025 | €17,160 | 94,0274 € | €1,316.40 | €1,410.50 | €1,457.50 |
| 1. 7. 2025 – 30. 6. 2026 | 18 288 € | 100,2083 € | €1,403.00 | €1,503.20 | €1,553.30 |
Max DVZ = 2 × General VZ / 365.
Benefit payment
The benefit is paid. for all calendar days a a month behind.
| Payment method | Deadline | Note |
| Bank account (SK/EU) | by the 15th day of the following month | Recommended – no charge |
| Cash / postal order | 18th – 27th of the following month | Slovak Post fee |
Expiration, interruption, renewal of entitlement
Expiration of claim
After the 6-month support period has expired.
By removal from the UoZ register.
By granting old-age, early or disability pension (> 70 %).
Death of the insured.
One-time payment of 50 % unspent benefit at the request of the insured.
Interruption
Paying off suspends during the days when the insured person is entitled to:
sick leave,
nursing care,
maternity,
parental allowance.
Recovery
After the reason for the termination of the SP ceases to exist automatically restores benefit until the remainder of the 6-month limit is exhausted.
If the insured did not use up the entire support period (e.g. started working) and 2 years loses his job again, he can draw remainder of the dose at the original height.