Sick leave rules in Austria at a glance
Statutory rules for Austria, checked against official government guidance on 15 October 2026.
| Tell your employer | Without undue delay |
|---|---|
| Self certification | No legal period |
| Doctor's certificate needed from | When the employer asks: from day 1, often day 4 under collective agreements |
| Certificate deadline | No fixed submission deadline |
| Waiting days | None for employer pay; 3 days for Krankengeld |
| Employer pays | Full pay for 6 to 12 weeks by length of service, then half pay |
| State sickness benefit | Krankengeld: 50%, rising to 60% from day 43 |
| Maximum duration | 26 or 52 weeks, up to 78 |
| Last checked |
Who pays sick pay in Austria?
In Austria, employer pay: full pay for 6 to 12 weeks by length of service, then half pay. State sickness benefit: Krankengeld: 50%, rising to 60% from day 43.
- EmployerFull pay for 6 to 12 weeks by length of service, then half pay
- State sickness benefitKrankengeld: 50%, rising to 60% from day 43
- Sickness benefit
- Krankengeld
Work out your own figures with the sick pay calculator.
When do you need a doctor's note in Austria?
In Austria, a doctor's certificate is needed: when the employer asks: from day 1, often day 4 under collective agreements.
Self certification. No legal period
Certificate deadline. No fixed submission deadline
Telling your employer. Without undue delay
Check your own dates with the "do I need a note" tool, or see how to get a doctor's note in Austria.
Worked example: 10 days off sick in Austria
How a 10 day absence runs in Austria, step by step. No money is worked out here.
| When | What happens | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Tell your employer | Without undue delay |
| Days 1 to 10 | Employer | Full pay for 6 to 12 weeks by length of service, then half pay |
Maximum duration: 26 or 52 weeks, up to 78
For your own figures, use the sick pay calculator. It reads the same checked data as this page.
What is different about sick leave in Austria?
Austria sets no legal self certification period.
Your employer decides when you need a certificate: from day 1, though collective agreements often set day 4. Employer pay runs at full pay for 6 to 12 weeks by length of service, then half pay.
What if you work in Austria but live in another country?
If you work in Austria and live in another country, you are usually covered by the social security system where you work, so the rules on this page apply.
Report sick by the rule in Austria (without undue delay), and send any certificate to the body that pays you.
If your doctor is in another country, ask the paying body which format it accepts.
More on working in one country and living in another. Related tool: Fit to fly readiness checklist
Frequently asked questions
The rule for telling your employer in Austria: without undue delay.
The certificate deadline in Austria: no fixed submission deadline.
Waiting days in Austria: none for employer pay; 3 days for Krankengeld.
The maximum duration of sick pay in Austria: 26 or 52 weeks, up to 78.
Self certification in Austria: no legal period.
Sick leave rules in neighbouring countries
Compare Austria with Germany and Switzerland, or see all 42 countries side by side.
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