U1 form

What it means

The U1 form is a European document confirming periods of unemployment insurance completed in another EU country. These periods count towards entitlement to unemployment benefit in the country where the person claims it.

In Slovakia, the Social Insurance Agency issues the U1 for Slovak periods. Someone who worked in Slovakia and then in another country does not lose their years of work and can meet the benefit conditions even if the period in the new country alone would not be enough.

The form is part of the social security coordination rules. It is complemented by other documents, such as the U2, which allows a person to look for work in another country while drawing benefit from the country that granted it, and the U3 on changes in circumstances.

How it works in practice

Unemployment benefit is generally paid by the country of last employment. The exception is cross-border workers, who register in their country of residence after losing their job, and that country takes the periods on the U1 into account.

The U1 can be requested directly from the institution in the country where the person worked, or the institution in the country where benefit is claimed will request it. It is sensible to apply for it before leaving the country, while all employment documents are easily available.

After returning to Slovakia, the person registers with the labour office as a jobseeker and claims benefit from the Social Insurance Agency. If they worked abroad, they submit the U1, or the agency requests the data from the foreign institution.

What to watch out for

The amount of benefit is usually calculated only from income in the country paying the benefit, not from foreign earnings. After a short job in the new country, benefit may therefore be lower than the person expected based on their income abroad.

Deadlines for registering and claiming are short. Registering late may mean losing part of the benefit, so act as soon as employment ends rather than waiting for all foreign documents to arrive.