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.
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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.
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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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