Country profile SVK
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2015-06-01 | C138 & C182 | Government Regulation No. 286/2004 Coll. establishing a list of jobs and workplaces that are prohibited for young employees and establishing certain obligations for employers when employing young employees | [{"link_name":"Government Regulation No. 286/2004","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2004/286/"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | Governement Regulation No. 286/2004 lists the hazardous occupations for which the employment of children is prohibited. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2001 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code of the Slovak Republic - Article 175 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/311/"}] | 16 | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | Article 175 of the Labour Code (Act No. 311/2001 Coll., as amended) prohibits minors under the age of 18 from performing hazardous work. The law specifies that a young employee may not be employed in work which, in view of the anatomical, physiological, and psychological characteristics of that age, is inappropriate, dangerous, or harmful to his or her health. Similarly, an employer may not employ young workers in jobs where they are exposed to an increased risk of injury or where they could seriously endanger the safety and health of their co-workers or other persons. Nevertheless, the law allows that from age 16, minors may be employed under certain circumstances, provided that protective measures are strictly observed, and medical fitness is certified. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2005 | C182 | Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic - Articles 171, 172 and 173 | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | The Slovak Criminal Code No. 300/2005 Coll. includes specific provisions criminalising the involvement of children in drug-related offences. Articles 172 and 173 of the Code prohibits trafficking in children for the purpose of forced labour or other forms of exploitation. Additionally, Article 171 and related sections address the criminal liability for persons who use children in the context of narcotic or psychotropic substance offences, including production and distribution. These provisions align with the requirements of C182 in addressing the use of children in illicit drug activities. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2005 | C182 | Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic - Articles 201 to 203 | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/"}] | Yes | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | The Slovak Criminal Code explicitly criminalises the use, procuring, and offering of children under 18 for both prostitution and pornography. Articles 201 to 203 cover crimes related to sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and child pornography, including acts committed through electronic means. Severe penalties are prescribed for such offences, particularly when the victim is a minor. These provisions ensure comprehensive protection against commercial sexual exploitation of children. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 2005 | C182 | Act No. 570/2005 Coll. on Conscription and on Amendments to Certain Acts - Article 4 | [{"link_name":"Act No. 570/2005 Coll.","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/570/"}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | According to Article 4 of Act No. 570/2005 Coll., the minimum age for conscription into the Slovak Armed Forces is 18 years. Compulsory military service has been abolished, and military service is now entirely voluntary and available only to adults. As such, forced or compulsory recruitment of persons under 18 into the armed forces is prohibited. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2005 | C182 | Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic - Section 179 | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | The Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic prohibits trafficking in human beings under Section 179, including for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation. It criminalises the recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of a child for exploitative purposes, regardless of the child's consent. Related provisions further criminalise activities linked to child prostitution and pornography, ensuring comprehensive protection against the sale and trafficking of children. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Slovak Republic - Article 53 (1) | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/311/"}] | 15 | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | Article 53 (1) stipulates that an employer may conclude a contract for a future employment contract with a student of a secondary vocational school or vocational training school, at the earliest on the day the student reaches the age of 15, the subject of which will be the employer's obligation to employ the student after passing the final exam, a high school graduation exam, or a final exam, and the student's commitment to become the employer's employee. In this case, a probationary period cannot be agreed upon. The agreed type of work must correspond to the qualification that the student will obtain by completing the field of study or study program. The agreement on a future employment contract is concluded with the consent of the legal representative, otherwise it is invalid. Practical training in the dual education system is carried out at the employer's workplace, if he was also issued a certificate of eligibility for the employer to provide practical training in the dual education system. The certificate authorizes the employer to provide practical training to students with whom the employer concludes a training contract pursuant to Section 19 of Act No. 61/2015 Coll. on vocational education and training on the basis of contractual cooperation with a selected secondary vocational school in the form of a dual education contract pursuant to Section 16 of Act No. 61/2015 Coll. on vocational education and training . |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Slovak Republic | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/311/"}] | No | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | The minimum age for employment is 15, but compulsory schooling ends at age 16. Therefore, children may begin working before completing compulsory education, contrary to the Convention's requirement. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Slovak Republic - Articles 11.2 and 11.4 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/311/"}] | Yes | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | The law allows light work from age 15 with employer application, parental consent, medical fitness, hazard assessment, and approval from the Labour Inspectorate and public health authority. The general list of activities allowed for these persons is regulated by Article 11.4 of the Labour Code as: a) performing or co-performing in cultural performances and artistic performances, b) sporting events, c) advertising activities, d) other activities not listed in points a) to c), in the case of a natural person older than 15 years of age until the end of the school year of compulsory school attendance. Additionaly, in accordance with Article 11. 2 of the Labour Code, the employer may not agree on a date of commencement of work that would precede the date of completion of the school year of the last year of compulsory schooling of a natural person. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Slovak Republic | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/311/"}] | 15 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | Light work is permitted from age 15, including for those still completing compulsory schooling, under strict safeguards. Employers must obtain approval from the labour inspectorate and health authorities, including a description of work, hours, medical fitness, risk assessment, and legal guardian consent. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Slovak Republic - Section 11(2) | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Slovak Republic","source_link":"https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/311/"}] | 15 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | According to Section 11(2) of the Labour Code, a natural person may enter into an employment relationship as an employee if they are at least 15 years of age and have completed compulsory school attendance. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 20-DEC-1999 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 29-SEP-1997 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The programme builds on the achievements of the 2019–2023 plan and pursues them further. Its objective is to strengthen the capacity of all entities to reduce risks and prevent human trafficking, while also ensuring effective support and assistance for victims and safeguarding their fundamental rights, freedoms, and dignity. The programme seeks both to eliminate the conditions that allow such crimes to occur and to reinforce mechanisms that provide protection, assistance, and long-term support to victims. | [{"link_name":"National Programme for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings","source_link":"https://www.minv.sk/?informacne-centrum-na-boj-proti-obchodovaniu-s-ludmi-a-prevenciu-kriminality-1&subor=521228"}] | 2024-2028 | National Programme for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings | Ministry of Interior, via the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings |