Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140) - Slovenia (Ratification: 1992)

Articles 2–7 of the Convention. Policy for the promotion of paid educational leave. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to continue to provide information regarding the measures taken to attain the objectives set out in Article 3 of the Convention and how these measures can be considered to be coordinated with general employment, education and training policies within the meaning of Article 4. The Committee also requested the Government to continue to supply information on the manner in which arrangements for paid educational leave are funded, as required under Article 7. The Government reports that no changes have been made to the Employment Relationship Act during the reporting period in relation to the Convention. In addition, no new measures were taken in relation to the public employment system in the context of paid educational leave. The Government indicates that the rights and obligations between the public institution and the employee who is referred to further education are regulated in a contract setting out the number of paid educational leave days granted. The Government refers once again to article 170(4) of the Employment Relationship Act (ZDR-1), which provides that costs of vocational education, training and advanced training shall be covered by the employer if the employer refers the employee for this purpose. The Committee further notes the Government’s indication that, according to section 39 of the Collective Agreement on non-commercial activities in the Republic of Slovenia, a public employee is entitled to compensation while on paid educational leave of 100 per cent of his or her basic salary during the period of the leave. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on any measures taken or envisaged, within the framework of a national policy on paid educational leave, to contribute to the attainment of the objectives set out in Article 3 of the Convention, as well as on the manner and extent to which the policy is coordinated with general policies concerning employment, education and training (Article 4). Please also provide information concerning the manner in which arrangements for paid educational leave are financed (Article 7).

Article 2(c). Paid educational leave for the purpose of trade union education. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the measures adopted to extend the right of paid educational leave for trade union education to workers other than trade union representatives, and to provide information on the practical application of the Convention, including extracts of the relevant collective agreements and other relevant documents and statistics. The Government reports that the right to paid educational leave for the purpose of trade union education is specifically regulated by collective agreements for individual sectors, which specify paid hours and/or days of absence from work for trade union representatives for the purpose of trade union education. It adds that some collective agreements also include provisions concerning paid hours and/or days of absence from work for trade union members to attend meetings. It indicates that no new measures have been adopted that would extend the right to paid educational leave for the purpose of trade union education for workers with no trade union responsibilities. The Government further notes that it does not collect data on the number of public employees granted paid educational leave. The Committee notes the extracts supplied by the Government from sectorial collective agreements relevant to paid educational leave for the purpose of trade union education. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide updated information on measures taken or envisaged to extend paid educational leave for the purpose of trade union education to workers other than those with trade union responsibilities (Article 2(c)). The Government is also requested to provide extracts of collective agreements, as well as extracts of reports, studies or inquiries relating to the practical application of the Convention, and available statistics on the number of workers granted paid educational leave (Part V of the report form).