Research reports
PERHOUSE: Personal and household services in Central and Eastern European Countries: Improving working conditions and services through industrial relations: National report Slovakia
PERHOUSE: Personal and household services in Central and Eastern European Countries: Improving working conditions and services through industrial relations: National report Slovakia
Authors:
Holubová, B.
Published: August 2024
Keywords:
personal services, household services, industrial relations, working conditions
Abstract:
Personal and household services (PHS) are vital for the well-being of families and individuals, transforming households into workplaces. Despite their importance, this sector faces poor working conditions and undervalued work, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, due to weak regulations and ineffective industrial relations. Therefore, the Perhouse project, supported by the European Union, aims to explore the challenges in working conditions and the role of social dialogue in advancing PHS regarding working conditions and regulations. This report presents the findings for Slovakia and aims to answer two research questions. First, it examines the current state and structure of service provision in the sector and the working conditions of PHS workers in Slovakia. Second, it explores the role of social dialogue in improving these conditions and developing relevant regulations in Slovakia's PHS sector. The PHS sector in Slovakia unequivocally suffers from a lack of standardised definitions and an overly complex regulatory framework, posing significant challenges in terms of regulation, recognition, and access to services. The sector's diverse nature, characterised by varying levels of formality and informality, creates unacceptable disparities in worker recognition, rights, and compensation.
