Kocher hopes for the Greens

Educational leave to become “accurate”

Labor and Economics Minister Martin Kocher (ÖVP) is hoping for a reform of educational leave with the Greens. The politician said on Monday that educational leave should be made "more accurate" and the obligations to provide evidence should be made "somewhat clearer".

As reported , the Austrian Court of Audit (ACA) presented a critical report on the continuing education allowance in spring 2023. For example, the auditors wrote in their report that the content requirements for training and further education were "so low that educational leave could be used equally for low-cost courses with little relevance to the labor market and for publicly funded time out of the work process". Compared to 2010, twice as many people were already receiving further training allowances in 2021 - 14,000 to be precise. Most of these were women (74%).

Recipients do not have to decrease
In 2021, the AMS paid out around EUR 195.5 million in training allowances from unemployment insurance funds. A further 100.3 million euros in social security contributions were also paid. According to Kocher, however, the number of recipients does not need to be reduced. "It is a very, very good instrument." Discussions with the social partners are already "very advanced". The instrument must be "accurate" and the obligations to provide evidence "somewhat clearer".

Educational leave has been in place since January 1998. Self-employed employees can take two to twelve months off for training and further education purposes. During this time, there is a training allowance equivalent to unemployment benefit, i.e. 55 percent of the previous net income. In addition, you are permitted to work in marginal employment up to a maximum of 518.44 euros per month.

The employer must agree to the educational leave and there is no statutory protection against dismissal during the training period. The required pre-employment period is only six months.