Application of the 80-90-100 model in Serbia

A new law that comes into force on January, 1 2026 will allow Slovenian employees who are approaching retirement to spend less time at work if they wish.
Workers who are 58 years old or have at least 35 years of work experience will have two options of a reduced workweek. The first one is a “long weekend”, or having Fridays off, and the second one is working six hours per day.
They call this model 80-90-100 in Slovenia because of 80 percent working hours provided, 90 percent of the salary earned, and full contributions as if working 100 percent. Similar models have produced positive results in Iceland, Ireland, and Germany.
The Slovenian Ministry of Labour, headed by Luka Mesec of the Levica party, promoted the legislative changes. In case of success, the authorities in Slovenia will introduce additional pay for Saturday work, a mandatory Christmas bonus for all employees, and a 38-hour working week.
Despite the adoption of the new law by the Slovenian government, some ministers had doubts about the financial burden these measures might impose.
Though the effect of this low in Slovenia is still uncertain, NIN is thinking about the implementation of a similar approach in Serbia. The idea seems to be humane and fair, but employers worry about the cost of reduced working hours.
As Professor Mihail Arandarenko of the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade told NIN, other European countries already offer similar benefits to workers.
According to the honorary president of the Serbian Employers’ Union, Nebojša Atanacković, the Slovenian model is humane and socially responsible, and employees in Serbia should warmly welcome it.
As the President of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Ivica Cvetanović, said in an interview with NIN, the emergence of new technologies would both make possible and facilitate the implementation of such a model in Serbia.
Employees, specifically older workers, will get further benefits from changes to labour
regulations in Slovenia. For example, dismissed workers in Slovenia will receive up to 130 percent of the average gross minimum wage during the first three months after termination of employment from 1 January 2026. In case if they do not find employment after that period, they will receive compensation up to 110 percent.
Higher hourly rates and improved working conditions will be offered to those engaged in public works. They also plan to stimulate employment of individuals over the age of 59 and to increase the permitted number of hours for occasional and temporary work. Pensioners’ monthly work limit will rise from 60 to 85 hours, consequently, the maximum income they can earn through employment will increase.

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