A business with employees in both Slovakia and Czechia often assumes that termination of employment works the same way in both countries. The two labour codes do indeed share the same logic: the employer may give notice only on grounds listed in the Act, must define the grounds in factual terms, and cannot change them afterwards (Section 61(2) of the Slovak Labour Code, Act No. 311/2001 Coll., and Section 50 of Act No. 262/2006 Sb.). In the details that decide disputes, however, they differ. Which law applies to a particular employment relationship must be assessed separately; this article compares the rules themselves.
An overview of the differences
| Slovakia (Act No. 311/2001 Coll.) | Czechia (Act No. 262/2006 Sb.) | |
|---|---|---|
| Employer’s time limit for notice for breach of duties and for immediate termination | two months from discovery, at the latest one year from when the grounds arose (Section 63(4), Section 68(2)) | three months from discovery, at the latest fifteen months from when the grounds arose (Section 58) |
| Employee’s time limit for immediate termination | one month from discovery (Section 69(3)) | two months from discovery, at the latest one year (Section 59) |
| Warning for unsatisfactory results | in the last six months (Section 63(1)(d)) | in the last twelve months (Section 52(f)) |
| Notice period | at least one month; two months where employment has lasted at least a year, three months for organisational or health-related grounds and employment of at least five years (Section 62) | at least two months; one month on the grounds in Section 52(f) to (h) (Section 51) |
| Start of the notice period | the first day of the month following service (Section 62(7)) | the day the notice is served (Section 51(1)) |
| Notice served before a protected period | employment ends on the last day of the protected period (Section 64(2)) | the protected period is not counted into the notice period, the remainder runs after it (Section 53(2)) |
| Reduction of wage compensation for invalid termination | for time beyond twelve months, up to a maximum of thirty-six months (Section 79(2)) | for time beyond six months, with no statutory cap (Section 69(2)) |
Grounds for notice and immediate termination
Where an employee breaches their duties, the wording differs more than it appears. Slovak law permits notice for a less serious breach of work discipline if the employee was warned in writing in the last six months of the possibility of notice. Czech law speaks of persistent less serious breaches of duties and also ties the warning to the last six months; in addition, it has a separate ground for a particularly gross breach of the regime applicable to an employee temporarily unfit for work (Section 52(g) and (h) of Act No. 262/2006 Sb.). Slovak law has no such separate ground for notice.
Immediate termination for a criminal offence is tied in Slovakia to a final conviction for an intentional offence (Section 68(1)). Czech law requires an unsuspended custodial sentence of more than one year, or of at least six months where the employee committed the offence in the performance of work tasks or in direct connection with them (Section 55(1) of the Czech Act). For breach of duties, Slovak law speaks of a serious breach of work discipline, Czech law of a breach of duty in a particularly gross manner. The choice between immediate termination and notice in Slovakia is covered in the article on immediate termination, or notice.
The notice period and the protected period
The greatest practical difference lies in how the notice period is calculated. In Slovakia it begins on the first day of the month following service, which is why it matters whether you serve the notice on the last day of a month or a day later. In Czechia it begins on the day of service and ends on the day with the corresponding number (Section 51(1) of the Czech Act); it may be extended, or the way it runs altered, by written agreement, equally for both parties, except for notice under Section 52(f) to (h) (Section 51(3) of the Czech Act).
The consequences of a protected period arising while a notice period is running also differ. Slovak employment is extended to the last day of the protected period, unless the employee states that they do not insist on the extension. In Czechia the protected period is not counted into the notice period and the remaining part of the notice period runs only after it ends. Czech law also includes in the protected period quarantine, care for a child under ten and long-term care under the sickness insurance legislation (Section 53(1) of the Czech Act). Slovak law is described in detail in the article on notice during a protected period.
Service
A Slovak employer serves notice in person and, only where that is not possible, by post (Section 38(1) of the Slovak Act). Czech law additionally allows service into a data box and electronically, the latter only with the employee’s consent and with a recognised electronic signature (Section 334a and Section 335 of the Czech Act); Slovak law does not list electronic service of notice among the methods of service. The details are set out in the article on serving notice and immediate termination.
Invalid termination
The time limit for bringing an action for invalidity is two months in both countries and runs from the day on which employment was to have ended (Section 77 of the Slovak Act, Section 72 of the Czech Act). The difference lies in wage compensation. A Czech employee must notify the employer in writing that they insist on continued employment, and the court may, on the employer’s application, reduce the compensation for time beyond six months, having regard in particular to whether the employee worked elsewhere in the meantime (Section 69 of the Czech Act). Slovak law does not prescribe the form of the notification, and the court may, at the employer’s request, reduce or refuse the compensation only for time beyond twelve months, with a maximum award of thirty-six months (Section 79(1) and (2)).
How we can help
We prepare terminations of employment under the law applicable to the relationship and, for businesses with people in both countries, set up a single procedure with national variations, through termination of employment. Where an employee’s performance or conduct needs to be addressed step by step, with warnings under both Slovak and Czech time limits, problem employees is the service to use. The Slovak procedure for poor performance is covered in the article on notice for unsatisfactory work results.
This article provides general legal information as at 12 September 2026. It does not constitute legal services or advice on your specific matter. Laws change and the details of your situation may differ. Check the appropriate course of action or contact us before making a decision.
