Zákonník práce

What is the Zákonník práce (Slovak Labour Code)?

Zákonník práce (Act No. 311/2001) is the principal Slovak statute governing individual employment relationships within the territory of the Slovak Republic. It defines the rights and obligations of both employees and employers and provides the framework for all employment contracts, agreements on work performed outside the employment relationship, working time, wages, leave, occupational safety, termination of employment, and collective bargaining.

Note for international readers: This is the Slovak Labour Code — a Slovak-specific regulatory framework. Companies employing staff in Slovakia must comply with these rules. Other jurisdictions have equivalent employment law frameworks (e.g. the German Arbeitszeitgesetz, UK Employment Rights Act, French Code du travail). The specific provisions below refer to Slovak law.

Selected key sections that HR managers and line managers must know:

• § 42–43 — mandatory content of an employment contract (type of work, location, start date, remuneration terms)
• § 85 — maximum 40-hour working week
• § 97 — overtime (maximum 150 hours/year of ordered overtime)
• § 103 — basic annual leave entitlement (4 weeks, or 5 weeks for employees over 33 years of age)
• § 63 — grounds for notice by the employer
• § 142 — obstacles to work on the employer’s side

The Labour Code is amended periodically — in HR software it is therefore critical to regularly update parameters (leave entitlement, overtime limits, minimum wage, meal allowances).

When it applies

The Labour Code affects every step of the HR process — from recruitment through onboarding, remuneration, attendance and leave, to notice. Non-compliance can result in legal disputes, back-pay awards, and Labour Inspectorate fines.

See the Attendance module, the Contracts module, and the Recruitment module.

Related terms

• Attendance recording (Act 124/2006) — the OHS Act, closely linked. See /en/glossary/dochadzka-zakon.
• Onboarding — the induction process under the Labour Code. See /en/glossary/onboarding.
• GDPR — employee personal data is subject to both GDPR and the Labour Code. See /en/glossary/gdpr.

In Modulario

The Attendance module in Modulario automatically applies Labour Code rules — tracking overtime, leave, breaks, and generating statutory reports. Contracts includes employment contract templates compliant with §§ 42–43.

Modulario regularly updates statutory parameters (leave entitlement, minimum wage, meal allowances, supplements) so that calculations are always in line with current legislation. When the Labour Code is amended, customers receive release notes describing the impact — with no upgrade or IT intervention required.