Labour office

What it means

The Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, abbreviated ÚPSVaR in Slovak, is the state body responsible for employment policy and social assistance. Slovakia has a network of local offices in the districts, managed by the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.

For businesses, ÚPSVaR matters in several areas. It keeps records of vacancies and jobseekers, pays employers subsidies for creating jobs or hiring disadvantaged jobseekers, issues confirmations and permits for employing foreign nationals and assesses the mandatory quota for employing people with disabilities.

For families, the office pays state social benefits such as the parental allowance, child benefit and birth grant, as well as assistance in material need. It is distinct from the Social Insurance Agency, which pays social insurance benefits such as sickness, maternity or unemployment benefit.

How it works in practice

When clients hire staff from outside the EU, we help with notifications and applications to the labour office. The employer must report the vacancy in advance, in some cases obtain confirmation that the post may be filled, and inform the office of the start and end of employment within statutory deadlines.

Companies planning to expand can apply for subsidies for new jobs, especially in regions with higher unemployment. Conditions depend on current national projects and usually require keeping the job for a set period. The application must be made before hiring, not afterwards.

The annual statement on meeting the disability employment quota is filed with the labour office by the statutory deadline. Employers nearing the headcount threshold should plan for it early to avoid a fine.

What to watch out for

A common mistake is confusing ÚPSVaR with the Social Insurance Agency. Unemployment benefit is paid by the Social Insurance Agency from unemployment insurance, although registration with the labour office is a condition. Filing in the wrong place wastes time.

For labour office subsidies, the company signs an agreement with precise conditions. If it breaches them, for example by dismissing a subsidised employee early, it must repay the subsidy. The agreement needs monitoring for the entire retention period.