Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

The Committee notes the Government’s report for the period ending May 2009, including replies to its 2008 direct request, the Second National Reform Programme for Growth and Employment, the Economic Report Austria 2009 as well as current labour market statistics.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Employment trends and active labour market measures. The Committee notes that the goal of full employment had been reached in August 2008, when the unemployment rate stood at 3.3 per cent. The Government states that as a result of the global financial and economic crisis, since autumn 2008, the situation of the Austrian labour market had deteriorated and unemployment rose by 30 percentage points as compared to autumn 2008. According to data available from the OECD, this rate reached 4.9 per cent in the fourth quarter 2009 after having peaked at 5.1 per cent in that year’s third quarter. This drop of the employment rate, the first for seven years, mostly affected young persons, men and foreigners working in manufacturing and for temporary work agencies. The Government remains committed to again achieve full employment and has introduced a package of measures to increase the employment rate beyond the EU’s targets for 2010. Having reached the overall EU quantitative goal of 70 per cent in 2008, the employment rate stood at 72.1 per cent. Having achieved the goal of 60 per cent as early as 2001, the female employment rate in 2008 was 65.8 per cent. The Government is further aware that as before, the better integration of older workers in the labour market, which has reached 41 per cent in 2008, continues to be a key in order to reach the Stockholm target of 50 per cent. The Committee recalls that increasing the participation and employment rates of older workers is a crucial issue common to advanced economies in light of the ageing and shrinking of their working age population.

The Committee notes that in light of the ongoing effects of the global economic crisis, the measures undertaken by the Government to stimulate the economy and create jobs resulted in economic packages and tax breaks amounting to €5.7 billion – 2 per cent of the Austrian GDP. Furthermore, the budget for active labour market policies has been increased by almost half; the total in 2009 was €1.3 billion. Legislative measures comprise the Employment Promotion Act 2009, which focuses on expansion of short-time work, training and facilitating the establishment of labour foundations. The “Early Intervention Strategy” remains the Government’s main tool to improve the integration of young and older persons in the labour market. The employment campaign for persons with disabilities will be continued and supported with additional resources to facilitate their entry into the labour market. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide in its next report information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, both in the aggregate and as they affect particular categories of workers, especially with regard to young persons and workers with disabilities.

Article 3. Consultation with social partners. The Committee notes that the social partners’ proposals were taken into consideration by the Government. This led to a reform of the Youth Employment Package 2008 to include on-the-job and external training and the implementation of a training guarantee for young persons below the age of 18. In this regard the Committee notes with interest that the social partners’ document “Labour Market – Future 2010” would be integrated into the 24 integrated guidelines for growth and employment of the National Reform Programme. The Committee invites the Government to also include in its next report updated information on the participation of the social partners in the design and implementation of other active employment market measures as required by the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

The Committee notes the Government’s report for the period ending in May 2007, which includes the First Implementation Report of 2006 on the Austrian Reform Programme for Growth and Employment and its replies to the 2005 direct request.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Employment trends and active labour market measures. The Committee notes with interest that employment in Austria has again reached new heights and that a recovery of the labour market is likely to continue due to the stable growth rate of the economy. While the Government’s general aim is to reach full employment, by 2006 the overall employment rate stood at 70.2 per cent, thus above the EU quantitative goal of 70 per cent. The employment rate for women has again increased and stood by 63.5 per cent, thus 3.5 percentage points above the EU quantitative goal. The Committee further notes that as compared to 2005, the aggregate unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points and stood at 4.9 per cent (EU average: 8.7 per cent). In 2005, the unemployment rate for women stood at 5.5 per cent, thus below the EU average of 9.8 per cent. While youth unemployment fell by 11.6 percentage points in 2006, the Government report indicates that the main challenge remains to promote employment among older workers. While the unemployment rate of persons above 50 has slightly increased in the 2005 average, it has developed favourably for persons above 60. This is mirrored by the labour force participation rate of those aged 55–64 which in 2006 stood at 35.5 per cent as compared to 31.8 per cent in 2005 and 30.4 per cent in 2003. The effect of the cumulated employment development is estimated to have increased the number of positions created between 2002 and 2006 by 63,000.

2. The Government’s report describes its active labour market measures to cater for the increased dynamic and structural changes of the labour market and to accommodate the reform of the EU strategy. Besides the continuation of the measures mentioned in its 2005 report, the Government has increased its emphasis on the “Early Intervention Strategy” for young and older unemployed persons, its work against gender-based segmentation of the labour market and on specific educational programmes for employed persons, i.e. lifelong guidance and learning aid. These measures were accompanied by a politico-economic programme, including an economic recovery programme, a tax reform and a further increase of governmental spending for employment policy measures, which has more than doubled since 1999. The Committee asks the Government to continue to report on the manner in which measures adopted under the general economic policy contribute to pursuing the objective of full and productive employment, in particular in favour of older workers who wish to work and disadvantaged young people. It would also appreciate continuing to receive information and data on successes, problems encountered and lessons learnt from the experience of social partners in Austria with regard to the application of the provisions of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

The Committee notes the replies to its previous direct request and the Government’s report for the period ending in May 2005, which includes the 2004 Progress Report on the National Plan for Employment for Austria.

1. Employment trends and active labour market measures. The Government indicates in its 2004 Progress Report on the National Action Plan for Employment that Austria has aligned itself with the employment policy goals agreed upon by EU Member States. The Government is resolved to meet the EU goals through a package of measures and is determined to raise the employment rate to the EU target of 70 per cent, the female employment rate to 60 per cent and the employment rate for persons aged 55-64 to 50 per cent. Supplemented by the data published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Committee further notes that, in 2004, the unemployment rate stood at 4.5 per cent, while the overall employment rate stood at 68 per cent, thus well on the way to meeting the EU quantitative goal of 70 per cent by 2010. The employment rate for women was 61 per cent in 2004, already exceeding the EU target level. The Government indicates in its report that the main challenge remains to promote employment among older workers. Although their employment rate has risen in recent years, the labour force participation rate for those aged 55-64 stood at only 30.4 per cent in 2003. Among the measures the Government intends to promote in order to encourage older workers to remain in the labour force, those include, inter alia, reform of partial retirement, introduction of transitional retirement pay and further education initiatives for older workers.

2. The Government’s Progress Report for 2004 also describes its active labour market measures, which include, inter alia, preventive measures for unemployed workers to facilitate their transition into the world of work, effective integration of the unemployed and regular reviewing and evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of labour market programmes, special programmes for youth (creation of 9,000 positions for unemployed young people), reform of the Public Employment Service (AMS) and new acceptability criteria for positions offered by the AMS, continuation of the Disability Billion, a federal employment initiative to integrate people with disabilities into the labour market. The Committee looks forward to receive from the Government in its next report an assessment of the impact of its active labour market measures, including information on the extent to which these measures have been successful in achieving its objectives of increasing the participation of older workers in the labour market. The Committee also wishes to express its interest in information on how measures taken to promote employment operate within a "framework of a coordinated economic and social policy". It would appreciate if the Government could indicate how the key elements of monetary and fiscal policies contribute to the employment objectives (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

3. Participation of the social partners. Referring to its previous request, the Committee would be grateful if the Government could provide, in its next report, information on the manner in which representatives of groups concerned are consulted with regard to employment policies, by stating the issues placed before them (Article 3).

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

The Committee notes the comprehensive information contained in the Government’s reports for the period ending May 2003 that includes a complete evaluation of its active employment policy.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government expresses its satisfaction with the results achieved through its active employment policy implemented in the five-year plan ended in 2002 and indicates that it will seek to strengthen its programmes and actions through the adoption of a new National Action Plan for Employment (NAPE). The new plan is to reinforce the active labour market policy through measures including, inter alia, increasing training allowances, broadening the range of training opportunities, focusing on training contents that are in demand, implementing programmes aimed at enhancing the status of women, taking measures to make technical scientific work and handicraft more attractive to women, and implementing the "Pact for older people". The Committee would appreciate being kept informed of progress made in the implementation of the NAPE. Please also state whether special difficulties have been encountered in attaining the objectives of the NAPE and indicate how far these difficulties have been overcome.

2. The data show that the economy slowed down in 2002 as domestic demand decreased and investment activity fell relative to the previous year (-4.9 per cent). The Government indicates that due to the poor economic conditions it was unable to meet the target it had set in its National Action Plan for Employment for 2000 of no more than 3.5 per cent unemployment by 2002. Supplemented by the data published by the OECD, the report demonstrates that the employment situation deteriorated slightly during the period in question. The unemployment rate, which was 3.7 per cent in 2000, has increased to 4.3 per cent in 2002. Please continue to provide detailed statistics on the level and trends of the active population, employment, underemployment and unemployment in the various sectors of activity and for the different categories of the population.

3. The Government indicates that in 2001 it introduced additional measures to complement its existing active labour market policy. These measures included, inter alia, improved access to subsidies for part-time employment of older workers, further educational benefits for older workers, an employment campaign known as the "disability billion" to integrate people with disabilities into the labour market, as well as reforms in the Public Employment Service (AMS) introducing greater accessibility and upgrading self-service options. Additionally, the Government has also introduced an initiative to combat discrimination and inequality within the labour market dubbed Equal, as well as pursuing its gender mainstreaming strategy in all fields and establishing an inter-ministerial work group with a view to implementing these strategies in the fields of activities of the respective ministries. The Committee has taken note of the variety of programmes the Government has introduced and wishes to remain informed on further developments in this respect.

4. The Committee would be grateful if the Government in its next report would provide information on consultations under Article 3.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s detailed and well-organized report for the period 1 July 1998 to 31 May 2000.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. The Government has adopted a National Action Plan on Employment which sets a target of no more than 3.5 per cent unemployment by 2002. So far, the Government is ahead of schedule in achieving its goal, and credits its emphasis on active labour market policies, particularly training. The Government’s priorities, based on the EU guidelines for employment, include: promoting job opportunities for youth; preventing long-term unemployment; expanding active labour market policies; improving the job prospects of women and older workers; promoting employment in the services sector; boosting lifelong learning; decreasing non-wage labour costs; and promoting entrepreneurship.

2. The Committee notes that there has been a steady increase in employment in the services sectors, and in the chemicals, communications technology, and motor vehicles industries, while employment has declined in the consumer goods industries. Employment increased in all länder. Joblessness decreased for men, from 3.8 per cent in 1998 to 3.1 per cent in 1999; and for women, from 5.4 per cent in 1998 to 4.5 per cent in 1999. The greatest decrease in joblessness was among school-leavers. Long-term unemployment decreased to 26.5 per cent of total unemployment.

3. In response to previous comments, the Government states that the percentage of women in part-time work is below the EU average, but that it cannot rule out that the high demand for part-time work by women may be due to the difficulties in balancing their professional and family life. The increase in employment for women from 1994 to 1999 is almost exclusively in part-time work. Employment for older workers increased in absolute terms, but the number of older workers also increased, resulting in a larger percentage of older workers among the jobless. However, long-term unemployment among older workers has been decreasing. The Committee notes this information and asks the Government to continue to supply information on the measures taken to ensure the fullest possible opportunity for each worker to qualify for, and to use his or her skills and endowments in a suitable job.

4. Article 2. The Committee notes that although the Government is required to submit a report to the EU Commission each year on the successes and failures of its employment policies and programmes, no information is provided in its report on the outcome of these evaluations. The Committee would appreciate receiving such information in future reports.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

1. The Committee notes the useful information contained in the Government's report and its reply to the previous direct request. The recent growth rates of employment and labour force participation are about equal and the standardized unemployment rate for 1998 was 4.7 per cent. It notes with particular interest the Government's success in the youth training and apprenticeship programme and the consequent low level of youth unemployment.

2. The Committee notes that there has been a recent increase in long-term unemployment, mainly among low-skilled and older workers. It would appreciate receiving further information in the Government's next report on the measures taken or envisaged to address this trend. The Committee also notes the high proportion of women in part-time employment. In its report, the Government states that it intends to create new jobs in the day care sector with the intention of simultaneously reducing unemployment and enabling women to participate more in full-time employment. Furthermore, the Government has set aside more than the proportionate number of places for women on its "catch-all net for young people" (Auffangnetz für Jugendliche) expanded youth training programmes to ensure an increase in the number of women receiving training. The Committee requests further information in the Government's next report on the impact of these programmes in reducing the proportion of part-time work which is involuntary. It also asks the Government to continue to supply information on labour market trends for low-skilled workers, older workers, and female part-time workers, in accordance with the information requested in the report form under Article 1 of the Convention, concerning trends of unemployment and underemployment as they affect particular categories of workers.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1996 and the useful information that it contains in reply to its previous request. It notes that in line with the slow-down in the growth of economic activity total employment has been declining since the second half of 1995, particularly due to employment losses in the consumption goods industry and construction. According to OECD estimates, the standardized unemployment rate, which was 5.9 per cent in 1994 and 1995, should rise to 6.2 per cent in 1996. The Government reports an increase in unemployment among young persons, although it emphasizes that their situation on the labour market remains much better than in most other European countries.

2. The Committee notes the Government's March 1996 statement that the preservation of employment is one of its fundamental objectives. It notes that the policy of budgetary stabilization to ensure the convergence of economic policies within the European Union has been accompanied by an initiative for growth and employment, which includes infrastructure works and the establishment of new industrial centres and should contribute to the creation or maintenance of jobs during the period 1996-97. The Government also emphasizes that the increase in direct and indirect taxation is designed to guide savings towards productive investment and not to be a burden on employment. The Committee notes that the requested analysis of the expected consequences of integration into the European Union shows that it should have a long-term positive effect on the employment of skilled workers, to the detriment of unskilled workers, which justifies the emphasis placed on training measures to combat a two-tier labour market. It requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the principal economic policies pursued and the manner in which they contribute to the attainment of the employment objectives set out in Article 1 of the Convention.

3. The Committee notes the statistics concerning the activities of the employment services. It notes that the data on active labour market policy measures show that the great majority of the available resources are devoted to training measures. Finally, the Committee has been informed of the recent adoption of the Labour Market Policy Act and the Structural Adjustment Act. No doubt the Government will provide detailed information in its next report on the changes made by these Acts in labour market policy and their effect on the attainment of the objectives of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1994. The unemployment rate, which was 5.9 per cent in 1992, rose to 6.8 per cent in 1993 and fell back to 6.4 per cent in 1994. The Government considers that during the reference period the labour market followed the economic situation, which was marked by a recession in 1993 that led to enterprises reducing employment to maintain their productivity. The Government states that the prospects of unemployed persons finding another job have been further reduced, particularly for unemployed persons aged over 50 years, and that the proportion of long-term unemployment has risen substantially. The increase in structural unemployment noted by the Committee in its previous request appears to have been confirmed during the latest recession.

2. The Government refers in its report to the stabilization measures taken by other economic and political institutions than the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The Committee recalls that under Article 2 of the Convention, the measures to be adopted to achieve employment objectives have to be decided on and kept under review, "within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy" and requests the Government to indicate in its next report the manner in which strategies in the fields of budgetary and monetary policies, and prices, incomes and wages policies contribute to the promotion of employment. The Committee also notes that the Government refers to the challenge faced by the country as a result of its membership of the European Union and it would be grateful if the Government would indicate the expected consequences of its membership on employment.

3. The Committee notes the information concerning the restructuring of the employment service, designed to increase the effectiveness of its advisory, placement and training services. The Committee requests the Government to provide any available evaluation on the impact of this reform, which came into force in July 1994, without prejudice to the information to be provided subsequently on the application of Convention No. 88. The Committee notes that, although the labour market policy programmes were reinforced during the reporting period and new measures were introduced for the long-term unemployed, women and older workers, the Government recognizes that the effect of active measures remains relatively weak. Furthermore, the Committee notes the information provided at its request on the number of jobseekers whose entitlement to benefit has been suspended. It requests the Government to continue supplying information on the manner in which the unemployment compensation scheme is coordinated with the employment policy, taking into account the relevant provisions of the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), and the Committee's comments on its application.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1992 and the enclosed observations of the Federal Chamber of Workers and Salaried Employees. It notes that despite fairly rapid economic growth, growth in employment during the reporting period, although sustained, was insufficient to absorb the rapidly increasing active population (the result of massive immigration, inter alia) and to prevent an increase in the unemployment rate which rose from 5.4 per cent in 1990 to 5.8 per cent in 1991 and 1992. While the share of the under 25 age group in total unemployment declined, there was an increase in the proportion of workers unemployed for over a year and unemployed older workers or workers regarded as difficult to place. Furthermore, the Federal Chamber of Workers and Salaried Employees notes that there was a rapid increase, particularly as regards women, in precarious or poorly protected employment. Although the labour market situation still compares favourably to that of other industrialized European countries, the data provided confirm the OECD's forecast in its latest economic survey (April 1993) of an upward trend in structural unemployment.

2. The Government continues to refer to the objective of full employment laid down in the Labour Market Promotion Act, and indicates that it has increased the funds earmarked for active labour market policy measures to cope with growing unemployment. In this connection, the Committee notes the detailed information on the programmes to promote the employment of the most vulnerable population groups, appended to the report. It notes with particular interest the considerable increase in the number of beneficiaries of the "Aktion 8000" programme to create jobs for the long-term unemployed. It also notes that the Government has undertaken to reform the public employment service to provide more effective assistance for the categories that have the most difficulties in finding jobs. It would be grateful if in its next report, the Government would provide information on the nature and progress of these reforms.

3. In answer to the Committee's previous comment on the conditions for suspending unemployment entitlements or special emergency aid, the Government states that it considers that the provisions to prevent unwarranted claims of such benefits are not applied in such a way as to contravene Article 1, paragraph 2(a) and (c), of the Convention and must be assessed in the context of a policy to create employment opportunites for all jobseekers. It also points out that very few persons are affected. However, in the opinion of the Federal Chamber of Workers and Salaried Employees, the practice of certain employment services with regard to suspension of benefits has become more restrictive and is therefore contrary to the objectives of this provision of the Convention. The Committee notes this divergence of opinion and would be grateful if the Government would provide information on trends in the number of jobseekers affected by suspensions of entitlements.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

1. The Committee takes note of the Government's report for the period ending June 1990 and the observations of the Congress of Austrian Chambers of Labour. According to the information supplied by the Government and that contained in the reports and studies of the OECD, the high growth levels of economic activity and employment have not been sufficient to obtain a sustainable reduction in the unemployment rate owing to the fact that the active population has grown more rapidly than employment. Although total employment increased by 1 per cent in 1989 and 2.1 per cent in 1990, the unemployment rate, which stood at 5.3 per cent in 1988, dropped only slightly in 1989 (5 per cent) and rose again to 5.4 per cent in 1990. The Committee, while noting that the employment situation is on the whole more positive than in most other OECD countries, none the less notes certain tendencies which could be worrying in the long term such as the increase in the length of unemployment of older workers or workers with lower skills and the rapid increase in unemployment among foreign workers.

2. The Committee notes the information concerning active employment policy measures. It notes in particular that special activities for the employment of women are being pursued and new measures for older workers have been introduced to cope with their deteriorating situation on the labour market. The Committee also notes the information on the training programmes aimed at preventing unemployment or encouraging the reintegration of the unemployed supplied by the Government in its report on the application of Convention No. 142. It would be grateful if the Government would continue to supply information on the various programmes being implemented and the evaluation of their effect on the employment of the groups of the population concerned.

3. In its comments on the application of the Convention, the Congress of Austrian Chambers of Labour expresses the view that the existence merely of legal conditions for the application of the objectives of the Convention is not sufficient, in practice, to guarantee work for all jobseekers. Furthermore, if an unemployed person can be obliged to accept a less skilled or lower paid job, this would restrict the free choice of employment according to the Congress. In its reply to this point, the Government states that the Unemployment Insurance Act of 1977 has not affected free choice of employment. Under this Act, refusal on the part of an unemployed person to accept reasonable alternative employment can entail a temporary suspension of entitlement to unemployment benefit or special emergency aid; however, the employment proposed must be adequately remunerated and a less highly skilled job can be considered reasonable only if the unemployed persons has exhausted his entitlement to unemployment benefit and has no prospect of finding employment in his own trade or occupation in the foreseeable future. The Committee takes note of this information and recalls that under Article 1, paragraph 2(a) and (c), of the Convention, employment policy must aim at ensuring that "there is work for all who are available for and seeking work" and that "there is freedom of choice of employment and the fullest possible opportunity for each worker to qualify for and to use his skills and endowments in a job for which he is well suited". It asks the Government to state how account is taken of these objectives in the implementation of the legal provisions in force and particularly the Labour Market Promotion Act and the Unemployment Insurance Act.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1989, published 76th ILC session (1989)

Further to its previous direct requests, the Committee has noted the detailed information supplied by the Government. It notes that, according to this information, unemployment decreased to 4 per cent in June 1988, and that according to the OECD Austria remains among the low unemployment countries. The Government states that youth unemployment has been falling for demographic reasons, and overall employment has been growing; increased unemployment is, however, thought likely in 1989-90.

The Congress of Austrian Chambers of Labour states in its comments that in view of the rise in unemployment in the 1980s more intensive job-creating measures are needed.

The Committee welcomes recent improvements in the employment situation and is pleased to note the continuing efforts of the Government - especially through implementation of the Konzept 90 programme - in the light of the Government's own relatively negative prognosis. It notes that, whilst the special youth programme is in the circumstances not being pursued, special measures in favour of women workers (who still face difficulties in the labour market) continue. The Committee trusts that in reviewing and implementing structural adjustment policies and measures the Government will ensure the necessary co-ordination and consultation among the various national and local authorities and the organisations and persons affected (Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention). It refers finally to its previous direct request and once more would be grateful if the Government would supply the information mentioned in the report form as to the development of employment in each sector and the employment effects of overall policies in such fields as investment (both public and private), budgetary and monetary policies, international trade (especially in the European region), and prices, incomes and wages.