Slovenia Constitutional Court rules on mandatory Christmas bonus

The Constitutional Court of Slovenia has ruled that certain provisions of the law regarding mandatory winter bonuses (Christmas bonuses) are unconstitutional due to their retroactive application. The court found that the law, which came into effect on November 20, 2025, improperly allowed the calculation of the 2025 bonus to include employment periods prior to the law's enactment, preventing employers from influencing circumstances such as the duration of employment in the preceding period.

While the court invalidated the retroactive aspects, it did not abolish the right to the winter bonus itself. Employees who were employed for at least one day during the calendar year are entitled to a proportional bonus based on their period of employment with a specific employer. The bonus amount is set at half of the minimum wage.

In response, the Chamber of Crafts and Small Business of Slovenia (OZS) criticized the legislation, describing it as 'pre-election sweets' and arguing that such obligations should be non-mandatory and free from taxes and contributions. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour and the Inspectorate have clarified that the winter bonus is a worker's right that cannot be negotiated, reduced, or reclaimed.