New step for fair working conditions: reporting obligation from 2026!

New step for fair working conditions: reporting obligation from 2026!

Österreich - The Austrian Trade Union Confederation (ÖGB) has greeted the upcoming changes in social security law. From January 1, 2026, it is mandatory for employers in Austria to state the agreed working hours and the salary of new employees when registering for social security. This was announced yesterday in a press release that should pave the way for more fairness and transparency on the labor market. According to the [ots] (https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250630_ots0052/oegb-schuberth-neue-male-mandatory-work times-iSt-fuer-better working conditions), it is particularly important for workers to design this documentation transparently.

Helene Schuberth, the federal manager of the ÖGB, emphasizes that in addition to the new reporting obligation, changes must also be documented in working hours - both for increases and in the case of reductions in the number of hours. However, these regulations only apply to newly admitted employment relationships from the deadline in the coming year, which does not affect existing employment relationships retrospectively. Schuberth is optimistic that these measures have an effect in a timely effect, especially in sectors with frequent changes in employment relationships.

goals of the reform

The new regulation aims to create a better data basis for future working time policy. As reports the [Kosmo] (https://www.kosmo.at/aenderung-fuer- worker-das-ist-wir-jetzt-bei-job-Anlage-wechst/), the measure is required to eliminate unclear situations in which employees often do not know what claims they are entitled to. The intended recording of working hours is also intended to simplify labor law advice and strengthen the control options by the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK).

Another advantage of this regulation is the possibility of making precisely more statistical evaluations, which is of great relevance to political decisions. Minister of Labor Korinna Schumann describes the new reporting obligation as crucial for the improvement of labor market, equality and economic policy decisions. Nevertheless, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) expresses concerns and describes the regulation as an additional bureaucratic burden, especially for smaller companies.

European guidelines and national implementation

The current change in the law is part of a more comprehensive EU transparency directive that came into force in March 2024 and brought numerous labor law changes. This regulation concerns, among other things, the service list and the provision of further training measures. In the context of this guideline, the new requirements are a response to the need to strengthen employee rights and increase the transparency of employment relationships, as described on [Competence online] (https://kompetenz-online.at/2024/09/faktencheck-welche--aenderungen-bauf--e----------------

Now new employment contracts must contain more detailed information, such as: B. the duration of the trial period and conditions to change shift plans. The aim of the guideline is to maintain the rights of employees and to give them security with regard to their employment relationships. This also includes that training, further and further education times have to count as working hours and the costs for this are borne by the employer.

Overall, the new regulation represents significant progress in labor law, which, however, also has challenges for companies. The upcoming changes are a step in the right direction to offer employees more transparency and security in their employment relationships.