Can I take carer's leave in Austria?
Yes — you have a right to carer's leave (Pflegefreistellung) on full pay. You may take up to 1 week per working year (in the amount of your weekly hours) to care for a sick close relative in the same household — pay continues. It is not holiday, but a justified absence for important personal reasons. A 2nd week exists if a child under 12 falls ill again and you have no other entitlement. For inpatient treatment of a child under 10 you may accompany them. Since the 2023 reform the entitlement applies from the first working day. In short: yes, paid and not deducted from your holiday.
📋 The rules
- Up to 1 week a year, fully paid
- For sick close relatives in the household
- 2nd week for a child under 12
- Accompany a hospitalised child under 10
- Entitlement from the first working day
🔓 Exceptions
- The 2nd week only for children under 12
- For longer care: care leave/part-time (1–3 months)
- Since 2023 partly also without a relative bond in the household
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no penalty system — this is an employee right. You must notify the employer without delay and, on request, prove the need (e.g. a medical confirmation). If the employer refuses lawful carer's leave or docks pay, you can claim the withheld pay. Beware a myth: "carer's leave comes out of my holiday" is false — it is a separate paid entitlement and is not deducted from your holiday. Tip: for foreseeably longer care, plan care leave or care part-time in good time, agreed with the employer.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How much carer's leave am I entitled to?
You are entitled, per working year, to up to one week in the amount of your weekly hours to care for a sick close relative, on full continued pay. If a child under twelve falls ill again, a second week may be added.
Is carer's leave paid?
Yes. Carer's leave is not unpaid time off but a justified absence with continued pay. So you receive the pay you'd have earned anyway. It is also not deducted from your holiday entitlement.
Does it cover accompanying a child to hospital?
Yes. You may take carer's leave to accompany a child under ten during an inpatient hospital stay. This accompaniment leave is distinct from the home-care first and second week.
Must I prove the care need?
You must notify the employer of the absence without delay. On request you must prove the care need, for example with a medical confirmation. If the employer refuses the lawful leave or docks pay, you can enforce the entitlement.
What if I have to care for longer?
For a longer care need there are separate instruments, care leave and care part-time for one to three months, often with a care-leave benefit. Unlike carer's leave these can't be taken unilaterally but must be agreed with the employer.
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