Can I take sick leave in Austria?
Yes — if you are unfit for work, you may take sick leave. You must report the incapacity to your employer at once and unprompted; a medical certificate from the health insurer (ÖGK) need only be submitted on request. Continued pay applies: after 1 year of service, 8 weeks at full pay plus 4 weeks at half pay per working year; this rises to 10 weeks after 15 years and 12 weeks full after 25 years. Note: sick leave gives no protection from dismissal — the employer may dismiss you even during illness, but must keep paying, if necessary beyond the end of employment. In short: yes, with continued pay, but no dismissal protection.
📋 The rules
- Report incapacity at once and unprompted
- Medical certificate only on request
- After 1 year: 8 weeks full + 4 weeks half
- After 15 yrs: 10 weeks, after 25 yrs: 12 weeks full
- Sick leave gives no dismissal protection
🔓 Exceptions
- In the first year the duration is shorter
- Grossly self-inflicted illness can cut the entitlement
- Once exhausted, the ÖGK pays sickness benefit
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no penalty for being ill. But failing to report sickness or to submit a requested certificate can cost you the continued pay for that period. Continued pay is 8 weeks full plus 4 weeks half after a year of service. Beware a myth: "I can't be dismissed while on sick leave" is false — Austrian law has no general dismissal protection during illness; the employer may dismiss you but must keep paying the sick entitlement, which can even run past the end of the employment. Tip: report sick at once and keep the medical certificate.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How do I report sick?
You must report the incapacity to your employer at once and unprompted, ideally on the first day. A medical certificate from the ÖGK showing the start, likely duration and cause need only be submitted if the employer requests it.
How long is my pay continued?
After a year of service you are entitled, per working year, to eight weeks at full pay and a further four weeks at half pay. After 15 years of service the entitlement rises to ten weeks full, and after 25 years to twelve weeks full, each plus four weeks half.
Can I be dismissed during sick leave?
Yes. There is no general dismissal protection during illness, so the employer may dismiss you. Continued pay carries on, however, possibly even beyond the end of the employment, until recovery or until the entitlement is exhausted.
What if I don't bring the certificate?
If you fail to submit a medical certificate the employer has requested, or you don't report the sickness, you can lose the continued-pay entitlement for that period. So follow the reporting and proof rules exactly.
What does the ÖGK pay?
Once the employer's continued pay is exhausted, the Austrian Health Insurance Fund steps in with sickness benefit. That is another reason the sickness report and medical certificate should be in order without gaps.
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