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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

EXPLAINED: How to maximise your annual leave in Austria in 2022

It's time to start planning your 2022 holiday year before your colleagues snap up all the most coveted days. Here are our tips for making the most of your annual leave in Austria.

Published: 21 December 2021 15:14 CET
Hammock by cabin
Plan your time off right this year using our tips. Photo: Carla Fuller/Unsplash

Austria can already boast some of the most generous annual leave worldwide, with 25 days’ minimum for full-time employees and an additional 13 public holidays. 

As in many European countries, but unlike the UK for example, most Austrian holidays are tied to specific dates rather than weekdays. If they happen to fall on a weekend, you do not got a day off in lieu.

That means that 2022 actually only offers ten weekday public holidays, while two of the three ‘de facto’ public holidays (which employers are not obliged to give as days off, but many do) also fall on weekends, so most employees will get 11 days off work in addition to their annual leave.

In 2021, just nine of the 13 public holidays fell on weekdays, but by contrast all three of the ‘de facto’ public holidays did, meaning that most people with employment in Austria got 12 days off this year.

Some savvy annual leave planning can help you maximise your days however, for example by taking advantage of five possible four-day weekends throughout the year, which only require one day of annual leave each.

It’s worthwhile thinking about this early in the year, because forward planning is almost a national sport in Austria, so you don’t want your colleagues to snag all of the best days off before you.

January

Saturday, January 1st (New Year’s Day)

The public holiday year of 2022 doesn’t get off to a great start, with the first holiday lost to the weekend. A large number of employers offer December 31st as a day off, though they’re not obliged to, so maybe you’ll enjoy a three-day weekend at least.

Thursday, January 6th (Epiphany)

Your first chance at a long weekend comes in the first week of the year, with a four-day weekend if you take Friday the 7th off work. Schools in Austria have this Friday off in 2022, extending the Christmas break until January 10th to make things easier with Covid-19 testing rules.

April

Monday, April 18th (Easter Monday)

Good Friday (Friday, April 15th in 2022) isn’t a public holiday in Austria, but many employers still give their workers the day off without needing to use annual leave. If that applies to you, you can book time off from April 11th to get ten days off in a row with four requested annual leave days.

May

Sunday, May 1st (Labour Day)

Another holiday is lost to the weekend…

Thursday, May 26th (Ascension Day)

…but later in the month you can take Friday, 27th off to get a four-day weekend.

June

Monday, June 6th (Pentecost)

Great news, it’s a three-day weekend. 

Thursday, June 16th (Corpus Christi Day)

Another Thursday public holiday gives the chance to take a ‘bridge day’ and get a second June long weekend.

If you take off May 27th and May 30th-June 3rd, you can get a 12-day holiday for the price of six annual leave days, or if you take off the time between the two June bank holidays (June 7th-10th and 13th-15th), plus Friday 17th, you can get a string of 16 days off for the price of eight days’ annual leave. For people who don’t have to plan around school holidays, this could be an excellent time to plan your main summer break.

More on working in Austria from The Local:

August

Monday, August 15th (Assumption Day)

Another three-day weekend here.

October

Wednesday, October 26th (National Day)

November

Tuesday, November 1st (All Saints Day)

Another chance for a bridge day on the Monday.

December

Thursday, December 8th (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)

Another bridge day opportunity.

Sunday, December 25th (Christmas)

Monday, December 26th (Boxing Day)

In 2022, December 26th gives you one day off, but the other public holidays (December 25th and January 1st, 2023) as well as December 24th and 31st which are not official public holidays but are given by many employers, all fall on the weekend. This means that if you want time off over the holiday, you need to save some of your annual leave to make up for this.

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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

‘Haushaltsversicherung’: How does Austria’s home insurance work?

'Haushaltsversicherung' is one of Austria's most popular types of insurance. It is not mandatory, but it is certainly worth evaluating, especially as it comes with many possible add-ons.

Published: 2 May 2024 15:22 CEST
'Haushaltsversicherung': How does Austria's home insurance work?

Austrians are certainly obsessed with insurance coverage, and one of the most popular and common ones is known as the “Haushaltsversicherung”—if you don’t have it already, you have certainly heard of it. Here’s what you need to know about household insurance.

Firstly, this insurance covers damages to “all movable objects within your own four walls,” as Austria’s Chamber of Labour (AK) explains. This includes furniture, carpets, and electrical appliances. It would also cover damages caused by fire, storms, water, burglary, and glass breakage. 

Certain types of insurance, such as private liability insurance or mandatory dog liability insurance, are almost always combined with household insurance—another reason why the Haushaltsversicherung is so popular in Austria.

READ ALSO: What kind of insurance do I need to have in Austria?

However, there are enormous differences in premiums and benefits, so experts suggest you check precisely what you need before taking out insurance. The AK also says you should talk to an insurance advisor to learn more about your specific case and needs, particularly if you have any valuables in your home. 

Additionally, they said: “It makes sense to check your policy every few years to ensure that you are properly insured. This guarantees that the sums insured and the risks included are up-to-date and sufficient”.

What should I keep an eye on when reviewing policies?

Of course, different companies have their own offers, and they are often highly customisable to fit your apartment and lifestyle—some things you need to be aware of, though.

Certain policies are tied to the size of your apartment, while others will have a lump sum regardless of the size of your place. Policies also usually differ depending on whether you live in an apartment or a house. 

While most insurance will cover glass breakage (such as when a hail storm breaks your window, for example), some might have it as an add-on (wahlweise mit Glasbruch). 

You may also add other types of insurance to your household insurance, the most common being mandatory dog liability insurance (Hunde-Haftpflicht), legal insurance (Straf-Rechtsschutz), and sports insurance.

READ ALSO: Should I take out insurance before skiing in Austria?

It’s worth it to read each policy, but you should know some common clauses beforehand. For example, insurance often won’t cover burglary costs if your house has not been properly secured and locked. This might seem obvious, but since door knobs don’t open from the outside without the key, people often leave their homes, especially for short errands, and don’t lock the doors all the way. Insurance and safety experts recommend you get in the habit of locking your home doors.

It’s also important to check if your insurance will pay you “Neuwert” or “Zeitwert” in case of damage. 

A Neuwert means the insurance will pay for a replacement object, regardless of how old the stolen or broken one was. However, many insurance policies still contain the so-called “Zeitwert”, something like “current value”, so you wouldn’t receive an amount that could pay for a new product. Instead, a loss of value of around 10 percent per year could be expected for most objects.

What should I do if there is damage to my home?

If you see any damage to your home from burglary, accident or other types, you need to notify your insurer immediately and report the damage you have suffered. 

The insurance conditions usually stipulate a maximum period of three days for reporting a claim in property insurance. The Chamber of Labour also recommends that you send a written notification of the claim (preferably by registered mail, they add).

“Make a list of all items that have been destroyed or lost and enclose it with your report to both the insurer and the security authorities”, they said. And, of course, in the event of fire burglary or robbery, always inform the fire department or police authorities.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: The Austrian insurance for if you get sued – or want to sue someone

How long does the insurance last, and how much does it cost?

The insurance term is usually specified in the counteract. In general, though, you can terminate it after the third year with one month’s notice if the contract has not already expired.

If you move house or move abroad, you can terminate your household insurance contract. You can cancel the insurance the day before the move begins (preferably by registered letter).

If you do not exercise your right of termination, the insurance will remain valid during the move and in the new home.

Regarding prices, they can be as low as a few euros a month (such as insurance specifically tailored to students living in shared flats) to several hundred a month if you have a large place with plenty of valuables or include several add-ons. 

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