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WORKING IN AUSTRIA

What rights do workers in Austria have when it gets too hot?

With temperatures in Austria soaring every summer, several questions arise: Can I ask my boss to install an air-conditioning system? Can I work from home if it's too hot? Here's what you need to know.

Published: 23 July 2024 10:48 CEST
What rights do workers in Austria have when it gets too hot?
Fans could be used to reduce heat in offices (Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash)

As temperatures continue to soar across Austria, concerns about the health and safety of workers exposed to extreme heat are rising. Many employees are left wondering what rights they have when working conditions become unbearable due to high temperatures.

Austria’s Chamber of Labour (AK) recommends talking to your boss if it gets too hot.

“Your supervisor has a duty of care to ensure that you can work without jeopardising your health”, the chamber says. 

READ ALSO: Five Austrian destinations you can reach by train to escape the heat

What must the company provide?

According to the AK, your workplace must be protected from the impact of the blazing sun. That means the company must have roller blinds in an office set up a tented area for those who work outside, for example. Special provisions, of course, are valid for construction workers and others who work outdoors, but even so, they must have a shaded place to take their breaks. 

The company must also provide cool and clean drinking water. 

Can I ask for air conditioning? 

No, the company is not legally obligated to install an air conditioning system. However, if they do have one, temperatures should be between 19C and 25C, and humidity must be between 40 percent and 70 percent. 

If the company uses fans, then there are regulations on air velocity: it must not exceed 0.10 m/s (metres per second) for low physical stress (such as office work), 0.20 m/s for everyday physical stress and 0.35 m/s for heavy physical stress. 

Can I get a day off or work from home if it’s too hot?

According to the Association for Safety and Health at Work, Gesunde Arbeit, there is no such thing as a “heat holiday” or “heat-free day” in Austria. If it’s too hot, the company needs to take measures to reduce temperatures.

In Austria, the measures need to be observed following the so-called “STOP principle” and in this order:

– S: substitution measures, such as selecting a cooler workplace to replace the source of danger.

– T: technical and structural measures, such as external blinds, air conditioning, or fans.

– O: organisational measures, such as shifting working hours to the early morning hours

– P: personal measures, such as loosening clothing regulations.

READ ALSO: 8 cool places to work in Vienna on hot summer days

Even though the company is expected to take these measures, it is not obligated to take any in particular. For example, working from home could be seen as a substitution measure, but workers are not automatically entitled to it. Any such measure should be taken in agreement between employer and employees.

What happens if my employer does not take measures to cool down our working space?

Austrian law on this is not very specific; the employer is obligated to try, but opinions may differ on whether or not they have tried hard enough to help workers during heatwaves. 

If you feel like more could be done in your workplace, AK recommends you contact your works council or safety representative for additional heat protection measures.

Additionally, AK said that the safety expert and the occupational physician of your company or union could help with a heat protection plan with specific suggestions for supervisors. Finally, if your supervisor refuses to take measures against heat in the workplace, you should contact the AK counselling service for safety, health and work or the federal government’s Labour Inspectorate.

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WORKING IN AUSTRIA

Ferialjob: What you need to know about ‘holiday jobs’ in Austria

Summer holidays are a peak time for travelling, but also for working in Austria - especially if you are a student looking for one of the popular 'holiday jobs' in the Alpine country.

Published: 26 July 2024 14:55 CEST
Ferialjob: What you need to know about 'holiday jobs' in Austria

From teenagers to older university graduates, students in Austria often take advantage of the long summer holidays to work in order to save some money. The Ferialjob, a holiday job, is a very popular type of work mainly taken up by students, which explains why so many of the people getting you an ice cream in a parlour look so young. 

Despite seeming like an informal type of work, the Ferialjob is very much regulated in Austria. The temporary employment relationship needs to follow Austrian labour laws, and the workers have several rights to which they need to be aware.

So, what exactly is a holiday job?

According to Austria’s employment agency AMS, a holiday job is a temporary employment relationship that allows one to gain work experience during vacations. The duration of the holiday job can be agreed upon individually and does not have to last for the entire vacation period. The employer and the holiday worker also agree on the number of hours per week.

READ ALSO: Can you work in Austria without signing a job contract?

All young people from the age of 15 who have completed compulsory schooling (9th grade) can take a holiday job. Holiday jobs are often taken during school or university to use the vacations to gain work experience.

Payment and Insurance

As a holiday worker, you are entitled to be paid for your work. You must be paid an amount that follows the collective agreement of the respective sector.

The agreement will also stipulate whether you are entitled to special payments such as vacation and Christmas bonuses (yes, you can get those even if you don’t work until December; the payment is made proportionally to the time you worked at the company).

If there is no collective agreement for the particular sector, the usual pay is the maximum wage, which should be at least €1,500 brut.

You are covered by health, accident, pension and unemployment insurance during a holiday job as long as you earn above the lower earnings limit (€518.44 per month, 2024 values).

What about holidays?

Surprisingly, holiday workers are also entitled to vacation time. The number of days you get off is calculated proportionately to the length of employment. If you work a five-day week, you receive two vacation days per month of work.

Anyone who does not take the paid time off will receive monetary compensation at the end—vacation compensation. This must be paid on termination with the final pay slip. 

Working hours

According to Austria’s Chamber of Labour AK, young people under 18 may work a maximum of eight hours a day and 40 hours five days a week. However, under certain circumstances, the weekly working hours may be distributed differently—particularly in the hospitality industry.

Young people are entitled to a daily rest break of at least half an hour if the total daily working time is more than 4.5 hours. Holiday workers over the age of 18 must take a half-hour break after six hours at the latest.

The AK recommends workers keep regular records of the start and end of working hours, any breaks, and exact activities. The Chamber of Labour even has a smartphone app to help you record your work hours. They also warn people not to sign incorrect working time records. 

READ ALSO: How do I get a student visa for Austria and what does it let me do?

Be careful with documents

AK suggests workers always agree to a written employment contract with their employers. This contract will define their activities, employment start and end dates, working hours, and payment.

The AK also warns people to be aware of small print, where certain waivers, including wage wavering, can be found. “To be on the safe side, consult the Chamber of Labor or the relevant trade union before signing anything,” they said.

Finally, holiday workers who earn more than the lower earnings limit (€518.44 per month) often have income tax automatically deducted on their payslips. However, if you earn less than €13,981 (2024 value) in a year, you are not liable to pay income tax. In that case, filing an employee assessment (form L1) will return your money.

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