Single parents

Parents who are raising and supporting their children on their own are entitled to protection from overtime work and rescheduled or fluctuating working hours, as well as to various forms of assistance provided by the social welfare system

Pursuant to the social welfare regulations, a single parent is any parent who is not married or in a consensual union, and cares for and supports their child on their own.

Protection in the workplace

As a single parent, you are protected from working overtime (until your child turns six). During that period, you may only work overtime if you provide a written statement on voluntary consent to such work to your employer.

Single parents may only have rescheduled or fluctuating working hours if they provide their voluntary written consent. Rescheduling of working hours means that in some periods the working hours are longer and in other periods they are shorter than full-time working hours.

Social welfare rights

As a single parent, you can exercise the following social welfare rights:
  • Counselling
  • Help with overcoming particular difficulties
  • Guaranteed minimum benefit
  • Housing allowance
  • One-time allowance
  • Other forms of assistance, such as: food assistance, clothing and footwear assistance, personal needs allowance for residential care beneficiaries, assistance with funeral expenses and fuel allowance.

You can file an application for recognition of your rights to the Croatian Welfare Institute in your place of residence.

You can find the addresses and phone numbers in the address book of institutions of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy.