Austria's holiday record: too much relaxation or necessary?

Austria's holiday record: too much relaxation or necessary?

Austria is one of the countries with a high number of holidays and vacation days compared to its neighbors. In Vorarlberg, the westernmost state, there are, for example, 13 statutory holidays. This is opposite Switzerland and Liechtenstein, where the holidays vary: in the canton of St. Gallen there are 9 holidays, while Liechtenstein also has 13 statutory holidays and granted up to 7 additional holidays according to professional groups. These figures make it clear that Austria has a generous standard in international comparison.

The statutory vacation entitlement in Austria is at least 5 weeks, i.e. 25 days, for full -time employees. In Switzerland, the minimum entitlement is 4 weeks (20 days), which also applies to Liechtenstein. In a comprehensive comparison of vacation days, Austria has an advantageous position with its 13 holidays and 5 weeks of vacation. A report by the Economic Forum shows that despite these free time, the annual working time in Austria is relatively high at 1725 hours.

international comparison

The variation of vacation requirements within Europe is also important. It often depends on factors such as service, age or industry. According to rp-online.de, the holiday claims are very different. A small island state leads the statistics with a total of 39 days, while Germany ranks in the lower half.

holidays in Austria and their importance

A current example that illustrates the importance of public holidays in Austria is the Whit Monday, which is celebrated on June 9th. This holiday is one of the official public holidays and is not only taken into account in Austria, but in many other countries such as Switzerland and Germany. The diversity of the holidays that are celebrated worldwide is remarkable, and many people enjoy these days off to spend time with family and friends or relax, which is then reflected in the annual working time.

The discussion about the balance between working hours and leisure time, especially with regard to holidays and vacation days, is continuously conducted by various actors, including economic experts and entrepreneurs. It remains to be seen how the working time regulations will develop in the coming years.