Determine the amount of unemployment benefit

Have you become entitled to unemployment benefits and want to calculate the approximate amount? We will advise you on how to do this.

What determines the amount of my unemployment benefit?

  • Your gross salary for the last two years prior to registration as a jobseeker. In simple terms, your benefit will be roughly half of your gross monthly income or its average for the two years before you registered with the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.
  • The amount of the unemployment benefit per day is 50% of the daily assessment basis. This means that if, for example, you earned EUR 1 000 per month (gross wage) in the two years before registration, your unemployment benefit in 2023 should be roughly EUR 500.

Calculation of the assessment basis

What is the assessment basis and how do I calculate it?

  • The assessment basis is the amount from which you have paid unemployment insurance contributions (gross income). The daily assessment basis is calculated as the sum of the assessment bases (gross income) earned during the decisive period, divided by the number of calendar days of the decisive period.
  • If you have already applied for unemployment benefit, the Social Insurance Agency will inform you of the daily assessment basis and the amount of the benefit per day in the decision awarding this benefit. The amount of unemployment benefit per month is calculated by multiplying the amount of benefit per day by the number of days of the month in question.
  • If you worked in an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom (until 31.12.2020) in the relevant two-year period, the amount of the benefit will be determined from the income you earned in the last gainful activity abroad. The income will be certified by the competent social insurance institution of the country where you worked. Even in this case, regardless of the level of earnings, you can only receive the maximum benefit provided for by Slovak legislation.
  • If you worked in an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom (until 31.12.2020) in the relevant two-year period, the amount of the benefit will be determined from the income you earned in the last gainful activity abroad. The income will be certified by the competent social insurance institution of the country where you worked. Even in this case, regardless of the level of earnings, you can only receive the maximum benefit provided for by Slovak legislation.
  • If you were only on parental leave (which continued from maternity leave) during an employment relationship in the decisive period, i.e. two years prior to registration, the benefit is calculated on the basis of income before the parental leave was taken. If you have paid voluntary insurance (comprehensive voluntary insurance), calculate the amount of the benefit from the assessment basis you have determined for the payment of contributions.

Is there a minimum and maximum assessment basis?

  •  Yes. Even if your earnings were higher, you cannot exceed the assessment basis ceiling laid down by law. The minimum and maximum assessment basis always changes on 1st January of each calendar year. 
  • For more information, see Unemployment Insurance.

When will the unemployment benefit be paid?

  • Unemployment benefit is usually paid by the 15th calendar day of the month (for the previous month) if the benefit is paid into an account.
  • If you receive the benefit by postal order, you will receive it between the 18th and 27th day of the month.