Overtime debate

Marterbauer drives Hattmannsdorfer into the parade

Economics Minister and Finance Minister are fighting over the money.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

"I can't imagine a situation in which my patience would break," said Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ) recently. A government colleague could change that: Economics Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer is causing audible annoyance for the red treasurer with his call for the additional overtime allowance to be retained.

"I am constantly confronted with proposals to spend more money or cut taxes. And I would like to point out to my colleagues in the government that we are committed to balancing the budget. The proposal not to phase out the additional overtime allowance alone would cost 150 million euros next year. I can only say: We don't have the money!" Marterbauer clearly rejects Hattmanndorfer's demand.

Higher allowance for overtime pay expires in 2025
The debate is about the planned expiry of the increased allowance for overtime pay at the end of 2025. For 2024 and 2025, the previous government increased the monthly allowance for a maximum of 18 hours of overtime to 200 euros per month. From 2026, this will be 120 euros for a maximum of 10 hours of overtime. Hattmannsdorfer now wants to abandon this plan, which was agreed between the ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos parties.

The Economics Minister and Finance Minister are arguing about the money.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Hattmanndorfer justifies his initiative with the idea of performance: "No pain, no gain - that applies today more than ever. Being European champion in reducing hours is not a title we should be proud of. We need clear performance incentives again in order to increase the number of hours worked in Austria. It would be fatal if we were to convey to people that performance no longer counts for anything," said the Minister for Economic Affairs.

SPÖ points to millions of unpaid overtime hours
Marterbauer counters: "If you want to reward the hard-working, you should primarily ensure that the many hours of overtime that are currently unpaid are paid in future. In 2024, every fourth hour of overtime was not paid by companies. This deprives employees, but also the state, of valuable income." According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, 47 million hours of overtime were worked by employees in the previous year alone, but were not compensated in time or money.

Overtime is on the agenda in many companies(Bild: Paul Melling 2021/Adobe Stock)

During the government negotiations, all three governing parties agreed not to provide any offensive funds for the extension of the increased overtime allowance. The government program provides for a renewed additional benefit for 2027, albeit subject to a budget proviso. Continuing the benefit in 2026 will cost around 150 million euros, which is not included in the budget. The expiry of the increased subsidy was already an issue in the negotiations between the FPÖ and ÖVP.