Pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary education teachers are employees working in the public interest. This status also applies to child-minders employed by public nurseries founded by the municipality. As employees in public service, they must meet certain requirements to perform service in the public interest: medical fitness, legal capacity, integrity, and qualification. In addition to the Labour Code (Zákonník práce), their employment is governed by Act no.552/2003 on performing work in the public interest (Zákon č. 552/2003 o výkone práce vo verejnom záujme) and the Collective Agreement of Higher Degree for Employers, who Remunerate their Employees According to Act no. 553/2003 on Remunerating Certain Employees Performing Work in the Public Interest (Kolektívna zmluva vyššieho stupňa pre zamestnávateľov, ktorí pri odmeňovaní postupujú podľa zákona č. 553/2003 Z. z. o odmeňovaní niektorých zamestnancov pri výkone práce vo verejnom záujme). 

The status of an employee working in the public interest does not apply to private nursery child-minders, teachers working at private higher education institutions, and lifelong learning institutions, which are not a part of the formal education system. Their employment is governed by the Labour Code.

Qualification requirements for pedagogical and professional employees are governed by the Ministry of Education Decree no. 173/2023 on qualification requirements for pedagogical employees and professional employees (Vyhláška Ministerstva školstva č.173/2023 o kvalifikačných predpokladoch pedagogických zamestnancov a odborných zamestnancov). Education of teachers and pedagogical employees and their activity and conditions are governed by Act no. 138/2019 on pedagogical employees and professional employees (Zákon č. 138/2019 Z.z. o pedagogických zamestnancoch a odborných zamestnancoch). 

Qualification requirements for higher education teachers, as well as higher education teachers' work activities and work conditions, are governed by Act no. 131/2002 on higher education (Zákon č. 131/2002 o vysokých školách). Qualification requirements for lectors and guarantors of accredited further education programmes are defined by the Act no. 568/2009 on lifelong learning (Zákon č. 568/2009 o celoživotnom vzdelávaní).

Employees of facilities of care for children up to 3 years of age are not teachers but professional employees in social services – child-minders and they are subject to Act no. 448/2008 on social services (Zákon č. 448/2008 Z.z. o sociálnych službách). Unlike teachers, child-minders do not have to participate in professional development.