Prešov – The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic is set to introduce a new employment support initiative called “Right to First Employment 2.” Under this program, employers will receive reimbursement of 80% of their total labor costs, with a cap of 1010 euros. This announcement was made by Minister Erik Tomáš during a briefing for the Hlas-SD party in Prešov, as reported by TASR.
Minister Tomáš noted that this initiative builds on the success of the previous pilot project, Right to First Employment, which launched last year and created 1,830 jobs primarily for young individuals.
“Unlike the earlier project, which was funded by state resources, this program will be financed through EU funds, allowing for no restrictions on the budget or the number of jobs,” Tomáš commented. The eligibility criteria will still require individuals to be registered as unemployed for at least one month, or three months for university graduates. Additionally, to qualify, applicants must not have been continuously employed in Slovakia for more than six months. The program will also provide reimbursement for a mentor for three months, who will support the new employee in their role.
The initiative will also include targeted assistance for job seekers under 30. For this group, the program will again reimburse 80% of total labor costs for the first six months, with a four-month sustainability requirement. Mentor support will be available for two months for these young workers, as stated by the minister.
Branislav Ondruš, a Member of the European Parliament from Hlas-SD, expressed support for the European Trade Union Confederation’s (ETUC) call to uphold the European directive on minimum wages. The directive’s future is expected to be determined soon by the Court of Justice of the European Union, following challenges from Sweden and Denmark.
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