Last updated on October 13, 2025.

Paid Time Off (PTO) in Austria

Vacation Leave Quota

5 weeks

Employees in Austria are entitled to five weeks of paid vacation leave for each year of employment. Employees working a standard Monday-to-Friday week are entitled to up to 25 days of paid annual leave. Those whose regular schedule spans Monday through Saturday are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave. Upon completing 25 years of continuous service, the statutory entitlement rises to six weeks. The leave year begins on the employee’s start date. Part-time and minimally employed workers enjoy the same leave entitlement as full-time employees.

During the first six months of initial work, vacation leave accrues on a pro-rata basis relative to the period worked. Beginning with the seventh month, employees are entitled to the full amount of vacation. From the second year of service onwards, the full entitlement is granted at the start of each leave year. Certain collective agreements may provide variations to this rule. Therefore, leave entitlements might be calculated based on the employee’s start date.

Employees may divide their vacation days into two periods, but each period must last at least six working days.

Carryover

Up to 2 years

The full annual leave should be utilized within the same calendar year. However, any unused paid leave that has not expired is automatically carried over to the following leave year. Unused leave typically expires two years after the end of the year in which it was earned. For example, leave from 2024 must be used by December 31, 2026.

When paid leave is taken, it is deducted first from the oldest entitlement.

Payment of Unused Vacation Upon Termination

Employers are required to pay.

Upon termination of employment, any accrued leave that remains unused shall be compensated through a single payment.

Sick Leave in Austria

No fixed number of days; depends on seniority.

Paid Sick Leave

Employees in Austria are entitled to paid sick leave based on their length of employment, fully paid by the employer:

Following the full-pay period, for every additional four weeks of illness, employees receive half their salary from the employer and the other half as sick pay from their health insurance provider. This is mostly Austrian health insurance, abbreviated to ÖGK. After these periods end, employees receive full sick pay from their health insurance provider, from the ÖGK, usually in the form of sickness benefit (“Krankengeld”).

Once the employer’s paid sick leave entitlement is exhausted, the Social Security system provides partial wage compensation for up to 52 weeks, which may be extended to a maximum of 78 weeks depending on the applicable insurance fund.

Medical Certificate

Employees must inform their employer as soon as they are unable to work.

For illnesses lasting one or two days, employees only need to inform their employer. If the illness continues for more than three calendar days, a doctor’s certificate must be provided. However, this may depend on the employer, some may ask for a doctor’s note even for one day. A doctor’s certificate is usually needed if the sick leave lasts more than a few days, though the exact rule can vary by contract or collective agreement.

Sick Pay

The employer is responsible for paying the first three days of sick leave. Thereafter, benefits are provided through the Health Insurance system.

First 3 days: Employees don’t get sick pay from health insurance yet — but their employer continues paying their normal salary during these days.

From day 4 to day 42: Employees start getting sick pay (from health insurance) equal to 50% of their usual daily pay.

From day 43 onwards: The sick pay increases to 60% of their usual daily pay.

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave in Austria

16 weeks

All employed women in Austria are entitled to 16 weeks of fully paid maternity leave. This is typically taken 8 weeks before the birth and 8 weeks after. Beyond the standard eight weeks of prenatal leave, an employee who is pregnant may take additional leave if a Labor Inspectorate doctor or another authorized medical professional certifies that working would endanger her or her child’s health, if the health of the mother or child is at risk. Postnatal leave normally lasts eight weeks but may be expanded to twelve weeks in the event of caesarean, premature, or multiple deliveries, or in exceptional cases, even 16 weeks.

Exceptions

Short-term employees and self-employed women are entitled to maternity leave only if they have voluntary health insurance. Unemployed women can receive maternity benefits if they have either worked continuously for three months or been compulsorily insured for 12 months in the past three years.

Notifying the Employer

Pregnant employees must inform the employer immediately upon finding out of their pregnancy and indicate the expected due date. They must also notify the employer of the start of maternity protection at least four weeks in advance.

Payout

Employees on maternity leave receive maternity allowance based on their previous net income and are protected from termination.

Paternity Leave in Austria

1 month

Paternity leave and related benefits apply to both biological and adoptive fathers. The leave lasts for one month (28–31 days), aka “Daddy Month”, and must be taken within 91 calendar days after the child’s birth. To qualify, fathers must be employed and have valid health and pension insurance for at least 182 days before applying for this benefit.

The employer must be notified by the new father three months before the expected birth date.

Payout

The allowance amounts to EUR 54.87 per day, or roughly EUR 1,700 per month.

Parental Leave

2 months

Parents are entitled to 2 months of paid parental leave until their child reaches 2 years of age. Both parents may decide how to split the leave, and either parent can take it. Therefore, leave may be taken by one parent only (mother or father) or by both parents on an alternating basis. However, parental leave may not be taken by both parents at the same time.

Payout

During parental leave, parents may receive payments under the Child Care Payment Act and can choose between two childcare allowance options.

This parental leave can be extended, but it is unpaid in that case.

Adoption Leave in Austria

Adoptive parents have the same parental leave rights and conditions as biological parents, as above-mentioned.

Bereavement Leave in Austria

1 to 3 days

Employees are generally entitled to between one and three days of paid bereavement leave. The number of days depends on their relationship to the departed member of the family. They must inform their employer immediately.

The exact duration is typically defined in the individual employment contract or applicable collective bargaining agreement. Although not specified by law, this entitlement is common, and employees need to verify it in their specific terms of employment.

Jury Duty Leave in Austria

Required by law if an employee is summoned.

Employees are entitled to take leave when required to perform jury duty or participate in other civic responsibilities.

Because Austria’s legal system rarely uses juries, no specific legislation governs jury duty leave. However, if an employee is summoned for jury duty, the employer must permit time off. Payment during this period is subject to the terms of the applicable collective agreement or individual employment contract.

Military Leave in Austria

In Austria, male citizens must finish 6 months of military or alternative civilian service. There are no detailed Austrian leave laws on military leave, but employees are generally protected by labor laws that guarantee leave and job reinstatement.

Voting Leave in Austria

Voting leave is not specified by Austria leave laws.

Marriage Leave in Austria

1 to 3 days of paid leave

Employees in Austria are entitled to 1 to 3 days of paid leave for their marriage. In Austria, marriage is considered an occasion that entitles employees to paid leave. The duration of this leave is not legally fixed but is determined by the terms of the applicable collective agreement or individual employment contract.

Public Holidays in Austria

13 public holidays

Certain states or sectors recognize additional holidays. For example, listed below are those observed in specific federal states.

• 24th September – Saint Rupert’s Day (Salzburg only)

• 15th November – Saint Leopold’s Day (Vienna only)

Sources of Austria Leave Laws

1. Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/austria

2. Payroll and Benefits Guide Austria, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/austria/

3. Definitive Guide to Hiring in Austria, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/austria

4. Sick Leave in Austria, https://www.vida.at/en/wir-helfen/wir-beraten-dich/beruf/krankenstand

=> Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.