Based on the new Act on Support During Short-Time Work, also known as Kurzarbeit, the employers’ new permanent support scheme will apply as of January 1, 2022, in Slovakia. The basic aim of the new regulation is to compensate employers financially for temporary loss of working hours and thereby preserve employment. Kurzarbeit can be applied if an employer is forced to reduce its operational activities due to temporary external factors beyond its control that have a negative economic impact on its business, particularly the declaration of a state of emergency, state of crisis, or force majeure. Furthermore, the Kurzarbeit allowance applies only in case at least one-third of the employer’s workforce is not assigned work for at least 10% of their working hours.

The still ongoing pandemic and its impact on the economic environment occupy governments all over the world. In Slovakia, several measures have been adopted by legislative bodies since its outbreak last year mainly in the area of financial aids and business loans. Moratoriums have also impacted the positions of banks and other creditors demanding their claims against debtors.

When it comes to politics in Slovakia, due to fast-paced developments and the presence of social media, there is frequently a 'major' crisis lasting only a few days, to then be replaced by a new one, says Majernik & Mihalikova Partner Ivan Kormanik.

Former Senior Associate Andrea Cupelova, Co-Head of the Employment Law department at Taylor Wessing, has been promoted to Partner.

Former Squire Patton Boggs Of Counsel Stanislav Durica has joined Dentons as a Partner in Bratislava and will lead the office's Employment and Labor practice.

On October 5, 2021, CEE Legal Matters reported that Dentons had provided pro bono advice to the non-profit organization Spolocnost Jaromira Krejcara to protect the cultural heritage site of the former Machnac spa house in Trencianske Teplice, Slovakia. CEE In-House Matters spoke with Martin Zaicek, Director at Jaromir Krejcar Society, to learn more about the matter.

Contributed by Squire Patton Boggs.

Former Senior Associate Marek Holka has made Partner at Cechova & Partners.

On June 9, 2021, the Slovak Supreme Court finally ended its long-running proceedings against Slovak Telekom (ST). The case involved a more than EUR 17 million fine against ST for the abuse of a dominant position and resulted in an important decision regarding the application of the ne bis in idem principle in Slovak law.

The possibility of the employer to investigate whether its employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 was subject of heated debate in Slovakia. The prevailing view was the employer could not request such information from them as allegedly there was no legal basis for it in the Labour Code or other regulations. Surprisingly, such view was also supported by the Slovak National Inspectorate of Labour that claimed it should be up to the employees whether they inform the employer about their vaccination. There were also discussions whether obtaining such information by the employer complies with the GDPR.

Eversheds Sutherland's Head of the Bratislava Office Bernhard Hager has been appointed Managing Partner for the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Principal Associate and Head of the Labour Law team Radek Matous was promoted to Partner in Prague.

The year 2021 has seen several major developments in the field of green energy in Slovakia.

Dentons Managing Counsel Martin Mendel has been appointed Co-Head of the firm’s Real Estate practice in Slovakia. He will lead the real estate team together with Partner Jiri Strzinek.

With the implementation deadline for the EU Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (17 December 2021) approaching, here is a summary of the current state of the respective national measures in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and an introduction to our own whistleblowing solution: FairWhistle.

MCL has advised Pavol Jakubec on the acquisition of the remaining 50% of shares in I.D.C. Holding from Kassay Invest. Dentons advised Slovenska Sporitelna on financing the deal.

CMS' Malgorzata Surdek-Janicka has been appointed as Vice-President of the International Court of Arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. Aside from Surdek-Janicka, 33 lawyers from CEE were appointed as members and alternate members of the court.

The COVID-19 crisis continues to plague much of Europe. To get an overview of its effects across CEE – both on investment in the region and on the legal industry itself – we reached out to the members of Pontes the CEE Lawyers legal alliance, a Regional Sponsor at the upcoming Dealer’s Choice International Law Firm Summit.

As of January 1, 2022, a deposit system for disposable beverage packaging will be introduced in Slovakia. Some disposable beverage packaging manufacturers and distributors will therefore have new obligations.