Ljubljana - Minimum sick pay for employees will be higher under amendments to the healthcare and insurance act that the National Assembly passed on Wednesday with 80 votes in favour to none against.

Minimum sick pay is currently calculated based on the guaranteed wage, which has remained the same since 2006. Now it will be calculated based on the minimum wage, which has almost doubled in that time, from EUR 522 in 2006 to EUR 1,024.

Under the changes, it will amount to 60% of minimum wage. The change will cost the Health Insurance Institute (ZPIZ) half a million euros annually.

The amendment was tabled six months ago by four opposition parties - Social Democrats (SD), the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), the Alenka Bratušek party (SAB) and the Left, along with the non-affiliated MPs.