[Slovakia] Equalization of meal vouchers

From 1 January 2022, an equal treatment of meal vouchers and a financial contribution for meals will be introduced. There is no change in regards to the financial contribution.

Until now, it has been more advantageous to choose a meal voucher, because according to the still valid wording of the law, the employer’s contribution above the maximal level of 2,81 – in case of meal voucher – is exempt from tax and levies. This does not apply to a financial contribution.

However, starting in 2022, the tax and social/health deductions for meal vouchers and the financial contribution are unified. In both cases, tax and social/health deductions will be levied on the over-limit amount unless it is paid from the social fund.

Example from practice:

• A company that contributes five euros a day to its employee’s meal. While the five-euro meal voucher is currently exempt from taxes and levies, the financial contribution is already subject to taxation for the amount above 2,81 euros
• Thus, if the employee worked 20 days, he received 100 euros in meal vouchers per month, while the financial contribution was 88 euros (the remaining 12 euros were paid in taxes and social/health deductions)
• Nothing will be changed for those who have chosen a financial contribution. However, according to the example above, those who have had meal vouchers so far will receive 12 euros less.

Due to continuous contract with the meal voucher provider (Edenred, Cheque Dejeuner,…), some companies continued to provide only meal vouchers and did not provide financial contribution option. According to the new law, from 01.01.2022, the employer is obliged to give the employee a choice between meal vouchers and fin. contributions.

Please note that the meal vouchers and financial compensation must be paid to the employee in advance!