Austria has comprehensive labor laws governing working hours to protect employee well-being and ensure fair compensation. These regulations cover various aspects of employment, including standard working hours, overtime, rest periods, and special provisions for night and weekend work. Employers in Austria must adhere to these laws to maintain compliance and foster a positive work environment. Understanding these regulations is crucial for businesses operating in Austria, whether they are local companies or international firms employing Austrian workers.
This guide provides an overview of the key aspects of working time regulations in Austria as of 2025, offering practical information for employers and employees alike. It covers standard working hours, overtime rules, rest period entitlements, regulations for night and weekend work, and the obligations employers have for recording working time.
Standard Working Hours and Workweek Structure
The standard working hours in Austria are 40 hours per week. This typically translates to eight hours per day, assuming a five-day workweek. However, collective bargaining agreements can sometimes stipulate shorter standard working hours for specific industries or sectors.
- Normal Workweek: Typically Monday to Friday.
- Maximum Daily Working Time: Generally limited to 8 hours, but can be extended under certain conditions.
- Flexibility: Flexible working time arrangements are possible through collective agreements or works agreements, allowing for variations in daily and weekly working hours as long as the average weekly working time does not exceed 40 hours over a specified reference period.
Overtime Regulations and Compensation Requirements
Any work performed beyond the standard 40 hours per week is considered overtime in Austria. Overtime work is subject to specific regulations and compensation requirements.
- Maximum Overtime: The maximum permissible working time, including overtime, is generally 12 hours per day and 60 hours per week.
- Overtime Compensation: Overtime hours must be compensated with a premium of at least 50% on top of the regular hourly wage.
- Alternative Compensation: Instead of monetary compensation, employees can agree with their employer to take time off in lieu of overtime pay. The time off must be equivalent to the overtime hours worked plus the 50% premium.
- Recording Overtime: Employers are legally required to accurately record all overtime hours worked by their employees.
| Overtime Aspect | Regulation "Write comprehensive website content about standard working hours and overtime in Austria for 2025. IMPORTANT: Start with a regular paragraph of text, NOT with any kind of heading or title. Begin with 1-2 introductory paragraphs that provide context on working time regulations in Austria, then cover these topics in this order: (1) standard working hours and workweek structure, (2) overtime regulations and compensation requirements, (3) rest periods and break entitlements, (4) night shift and weekend work regulations, and (5) working time recording obligations for employers. Include specific information on maximum working hours, overtime rates, mandatory rest periods, and employer compliance requirements. Use markdown tables to present structured information like working hour limits, overtime rates, or break entitlements. Do not include any citations, sources, or references in the content. Format content in pure markdown, not HTML. Use ## for headings and * for bullet points. Do not use HTML tags like or . This content will be published directly on a website for an employer of record service helping companies comply with working time regulations in Austria." Austria has comprehensive labor laws governing working hours to protect employee well-being and ensure fair compensation. These regulations cover various aspects of employment, including standard working hours, overtime, rest periods, and special provisions for night and weekend work. Employers in Austria must adhere to these laws to maintain compliance and foster a positive work environment. Understanding these regulations is crucial for businesses operating in Austria, whether they are local companies or international firms employing Austrian workers.
This guide provides an overview of the key aspects of working time regulations in Austria as of 2025, offering practical information for employers and employees alike. It covers standard working hours, overtime rules, rest period entitlements, regulations for night and weekend work, and the obligations employers have for recording working time.
Standard Working Hours and Workweek Structure
The standard working hours in Austria are 40 hours per week. This typically translates to eight hours per day, assuming a five-day workweek from Monday to Friday. However, collective bargaining agreements (Kollektivverträge) can stipulate shorter standard working hours for specific industries or sectors; for example, the normal weekly working time for sales employees or people working in the iron and metalworking industry is often 38.5 hours.
- Maximum Daily Working Time: Generally limited to 8 hours, but can be extended under certain conditions. The maximum permissible working time, including overtime, is generally 12 hours per day.
- Flexibility: Flexible working time arrangements are possible through collective agreements or works agreements, allowing for variations in daily and weekly working hours as long as the average weekly working time does not exceed 40 hours over a specified reference period. Some companies grant employees a shorter working day on a Friday; in this case, it's permissible to work nine hours per day Monday–Thursday to make up this time. Other companies take this even further and allow employees to work their normal hours over four days (4×10 hours).
Overtime Regulations and Compensation Requirements
Any work performed beyond the standard 40 hours per week or the collectively agreed-upon shorter hours is considered overtime in Austria. Overtime work is subject to specific regulations and compensation requirements.
- Maximum Overtime: The maximum permissible working time, including overtime, is generally 12 hours per day and 60 hours per week. Employees also can't work more than an average of 48 hours per week over a 17-week reference period.
- Overtime Compensation: Overtime hours must be compensated with a premium of at least 50% on top of the regular hourly wage. Overtime exceeding 40 hours per week is compensated at 150% of the regular pay.
- Alternative Compensation: Instead of monetary compensation, employees can agree with their employer to take time off in lieu of overtime pay. The time off must be equivalent to the overtime hours worked plus the 50% premium. Time off in lieu of 1.5 hours is accrued per hour of overtime.
- Recording Overtime: Employers are legally required to accurately record all overtime hours worked by their employees.
- Right of Refusal: If the daily working time of ten hours or the weekly working time of 50 hours is exceeded by overtime, employees may refuse to provide this overtime without providing reasons. They must not suffer any disadvantages or be dismissed as a result.
| Overtime Aspect | Regulation
Rest Periods and Break Entitlements
Austrian labor law mandates rest periods and breaks to ensure employee health and safety.
- Breaks: If the total daily working time is more than six hours, the working time must be interrupted by a rest break of at least 30 minutes. It is possible to divide the rest breaks into smaller units, but they should be at least 10 minutes each. These breaks are unpaid and not considered part of the total working time.
- Daily Rest Period: At the end of the working day, employees are entitled to an uninterrupted rest period of at least 11 hours.
- Weekly Rest Period: Employees are entitled to an uninterrupted weekly weekend rest period of at least 36 hours. If an employee works on weekends, they must have an uninterrupted rest period of 36 hours including a full day during the week.
| Rest Period Type | Entitlement
Night Shift and Weekend Work Regulations
Night work and weekend work are subject to specific regulations to protect employees' health and well-being.
- Night Work: Work performed during the night (typically between 8 PM and 6 AM) is generally restricted. However, exceptions exist for certain industries and occupations. Employees who work during these hours are often entitled to a night work supplement. If you work between midnight and 6 a.m., you are entitled to a staggered night work bonus. You will receive one third of the flat-rate night work allowance for each period.
- Weekend Work: Weekend work is also generally restricted, with employees entitled to an uninterrupted weekly rest period of at least 36 hours, including Sunday. However, certain industries, such as healthcare, hospitality, and transportation, may require weekend work. Employees working on weekends are entitled to compensatory time off during the week.
- Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young people below the age of 18 are not permitted to work at night or on Sundays or public holidays, however, exceptions exist, for example, in the hotel and restaurant trade, in bakeries, and in hospitals.
Working Time Recording Obligations for Employers
Employers in Austria have a legal obligation to accurately record the working time of their employees. This includes:
- Recording Start and End Times: Employers must record the exact start and end of daily working hours, as well as daily rest breaks.
- Maintaining Records: Working time records must be maintained for evidentiary purposes and be readily available for inspection by labor authorities.
- Employee Access: Employees have the right to access their working time records.
- Form of Recording: The form in which working hours are to be recorded is not regulated by law. In practice, working hours are recorded by using a digital time-recording system or Excel spreadsheets.
- Penalties: If working time record obligations are breached, administrative penalties may be imposed for incorrect records. Due to the fact that penalties are imposed per violation and per employee, penalties may be cumulated, leading to significant penalties.
| Aspect of Working Time Recording | Employer Obligation
