New measures

1. Partial coverage of fixed costs to the most affected companies

Legal and natural persons, who registered before 1 September 2020 and have at least one employee, as well as self-employed, are entitled to funds. Companies whose annual revenues have fallen by at least 30 percent compared to the last quarter of last year will be eligible for aid. Businesses will be able to receive funding to cover fixed costs for the period from 1 October to the end of 2020.

The amount to which companies will be entitled will be calculated on the basis of a certain percentage of their sales revenue in 2019. Companies that estimate that their revenues will fall by 40-70 percent in the period from October to December this year will receive 0.6 percent of annual sales revenue. Those whose turnover will fall by more than 70 percent, will receive 1.2 percent of annual sales revenue. An additional limitation is that the aid under this measure may amount to a maximum of EUR 1,000 per employee per month. The amount must also not exceed 70% of the net loss for a medium or large company or. 90% of the net loss for micro and small enterprises during the eligible period for beneficiaries registered before 1 October 2019 the maximum amount of aid may not exceed EUR 3 million, for beneficiaries registered after 1 October 2019 the maximum amount may not exceed EUR 800 000, taking into account all the State aid received.

Companies will be able to submit a statement to the Financial Administration (FURS) on the estimated loss of revenue by the end of the year and will then receive a payment on the 20th of the month. The eligible period of assistance might be extended by a decision of the Government for a maximum of six months.

2. Computerisation of the application to work from home until 31 December 2020

Employers will be able to enter the required content in the electronic form and submit it via the SPOT system. The government may extend the measure by a decision for a period of six months.

3. Rental exemption (tenants) if owned by the state or local community

Tenants of office buildings or business premises owned by the Republic of Slovenia or owned by local communities who are prevented or significantly hindered from performing economic activities due to state measures and the spread of the disease, during the declared COVID-19 epidemic in the Republic of Slovenia or during the period when, in accordance with the adopted regulations, the pursuit of economic activity was not permitted, i.e. from 19 October 2020 onwards, shall not charge rent or part of the rent under certain conditions.

4. Legal basis for the implementation of virtual assemblies and meetings of supervisory bodies in the economy

Extended/amended measures

5. Reimbursement of wages for temporary laid-off workers

Wage compensation is extended for the period of waiting for work until 31 January 2021. Wage compensation is 80% of the base, but not less than the minimum wage. The employer is entitled to a partial refund in the amount of 80% of the paid salary compensation and not more than 892.50 euros (gross I). The employer is entitled to a refund salary compensation for the actual monthly or weekly obligation, for a holiday and non-working day, if the employee would actually work on that day. 
The amount of partial reimbursement of salary compensation paid for the month of November 2020 until the expiry of entitlement (31 January 2021) may be 100% for employers whose total amount of public funds will not exceed EUR 800,000 per company (3.1 of the Temporary Framework). The employer claiming this amount by submitting a statement to the application under material and criminal liability that the amount of assistance is not and will not exceed the limit.
Employers that are entitled to the measure if, according to their estimates, their revenues in 2020 will fall by more than 20 percent due to the epidemic or the consequences of the epidemic compared to 2019. If they did not operate in 2019, those employers who were registered are also entitled to the measure. no later than 1 September 2020 and whose average monthly income in 2020 will decrease by more than 20% due to the epidemic or the consequences of the epidemic compared to the average monthly income in 2020 until 31 August 2020. If the conditions set out in this paragraph are not to be reached in annual reports for 2020, the company will return the funds received under this measure.

The employer submits the application electronically to the Employers Service od Slovenia (ESS) within eight days of the employee's waiting. The application can be submitted until 15 January 2020. Employers who were registered in the period from 12 February 2020 to 1 September 2020 and sent workers to work before the entry into force of this Act, from 1 October 2020, may submit an application to the ESS within 8 days of the entry into force of this Act, provided that they meet all the conditions for the exercise of the right. If the employer is registered after 1 September 2020, the ESS rejects the application by a decision.

6. Compensation of workers for wages due to quarantine or inability to perform work due to force majeure due to the obligation to protect, stop public transport or close borders

See PKP5 for details on reimbursements, in addition also eligible are:

• Reimbursement of workers' compensation for quarantine
• Reimbursement of workers' compensation for incapacity for work due to force majeure:
  • force majeure due to the obligation to protect,
  • force majeure due to the cessation of public transport,
  • force majeure due to the border closure.

The right to measures to compensate workers for wages due to quarantine or inability to perform work due to force majeure due to protection obligations, force majeure due to the cessation of public transport or force majeure due to border closures may be exercised by any employer in the Republic of Slovenia, except:

• Direct or indirect user of the budget of the Republic of Slovenia or the budget of the municipality, whose share of revenues from public sources in 2019 was higher than 70 percent,
• An employer engaged in a financial or insurance activity belonging to group K according to the standard classification of activities and having more than ten employees on 13 March 2020,
• Foreign diplomatic missions and consulates, international organizations, missions of international organizations and institutions, bodies and agencies of the European Union in the Republic of Slovenia.

7. Deferment of payments on bank loans for 12 months

A new deferral of payment of obligations from concluded credit agreements as well as newly approved loans is possible in order to mitigate as much as possible the negative consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic on the economy. The deferral of payments on bank loans will be extended for 12 months, including those for public funds (June 30, 2021) and for MGRT for companies in difficulty (1 year after the cancellation of the epidemic).

The bank grants the borrower a deferral of payment of obligations from the credit agreement no later than 31 January 2021. The borrower referred to in the second paragraph of Article 2 of ZIUOPOK shall address an application to the bank for deferral of payment of obligations from the credit agreement no later than 31 December 2020.

8. Changes in the guarantee scheme for corporate loans

The maximum amount of the guarantee to a loan subject to the has been raised from 10% of sales revenue and the average amount of labour costs in 2019 to 25% of sales revenue or double the amount of labour costs. The borrower is no longer required to register in the multilateral netting system.

9. Deferral and payment in instalments of taxes and contributions

The law stipulates that the tax authority may grant a deferral for payment of tax for up to two years, or allow the payment of tax in a maximum of 24 monthly instalments over a period of 24 months, due to loss of ability to generate revenue due to epidemic-related circumstances. No interest shall be charged on the deferred amount for the time when the taxpayer is deferred payment of tax or contributions.

 Source: Official Gazette. In case of additional questions, we are happy to be at your disposal.