Training leave/training part-time
- Name of the instrument - Local language
- Bildungskarenz, Bildungsteilzeit
- Name of the instrument - English translation
- Training leave/training part-time
- Country
- Austria
- Type of instrument
- Training leave
- Type of entry
- Single instrument
- Short description
Employees can take a leave from 2 to 12 months (within a period of 4 years) for full-time education while receiving a wage replacement payment equal to 55% of the latest net income. Wage replacement payment is also available to employees who pursue part-time education and have their working hours reduced. Employees taking the leave have the right to return to their workplace. The employer needs to agree with the leave. Since its last whole-sale reform (2007), the training leave scheme has grown into the single most important co-funding scheme in Austria.
- Short description of the related instruments
nap
- Level of operation
- National
- Name of a part of the country
- nap
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- nap
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- nap
- Relevance
- Key scheme
- Legal basis
§ 11 AVRAG; (Arbeitsvertragsrechts-Anpassungsgesetz); § 26 AlVG ; (Arbeitslosenversicherungsgesetz)
- Objective(s) and target(s)
To help individuals to achieve a higher level qualification
- Year of implementation
- 1998
- Year of latest amendment
- 2013
- Operation/Management
Responsible for regulation: Public Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice, AMS) and Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection.
Monitoring takes place regularly and is published in the national language.
Employer permission to take training leave is required; employee needs to prove attendance of at least 20 hours (16 hours with child-care obligations; 10 hours for part-time leave) a week of educational measures.
If an educational leave was agreed and the maximum permissible period was not exhausted, it is possible to switch one single time from the educational leave to part-time leave. Such an agreement includes that for the current period, the agreement on a further educational leave is prohibited. To switch between educational leave and part-time leave, an exchange key of one to two (1:2) was fixed by law.
- Eligible group(s)
Those in a continuous (not minor) employment for at least six months for the same employer. For seasonal employees there is a requirement of continuous temporary and (not minor) employment for at least three months and, within the last four years before the educational leave or education part-time, a total of six months with the same employer (periods of temporary employment at the same employer are aggregated).
For individuals who are in a maternity or parental leave due to a birth prior to 1 January 2017, and who start the training leave within six months after the birth, the requirement of a six-month unemployment insurance contributions before the start of training leave is eliminated (not applying to part-time education).- Group(s) with preferential treatment
None
- Education and training eligible
Any type of education and training
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
Unemployment insurance fund of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) which is fed by general contributions of employers and employees and by the federal government.
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
Participants of training leave (duration: from 2 months up to 1 year within a period of 4 years) are entitled to 'further training allowance' (Weiterbildungsgeld) from AMS (Public Employment Service) which equals 55% of the previous net income or at least EUR 14.53 a day (equal to unemployment benefit). The employee is also paid sickness, accident and pension insurance; the 'further training allowance' is to compensate foregone income to cover the costs of fees, different grants might be available from local governments, social partners or other sources but this is not specifically linked to training leave; in general, the costs of fees and travel are borne by employees.
Allocation: AMS transfers 'further training allowance' to learner upon submission (to AMS) of the document proving employer's approval (including the duration).
- Eligible costs
Specific arrangement
- Frequency of the use
Specific rules/conditions for reuse
- Volumes of funding
In 2014, an estimated EUR 163.6 million was spent on the scheme. Prior to the extention of the scheme in 2007, only EUR 10.2 million were spent. Since 2008, the expenditure for the scheme has been on a constant rise.
- Beneficiaries/take up
In 2013, 9 207 individuals were involved in a training leave at the same time. Overall, 22 000 individuals showed the status of a training leave participant at a certain point of the year 2013. In 2012, 7 991 individuals were on leave.
First results of part-time education leave show that this instrument is especially interesting for low-wage earners. The applications are constantly raising.
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
Federal Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs and Consumers´ Protection.
- Monitoring/evaluation reports available
Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS) (2011) Evaluierung der Bildungskarenz 2000-2009. Wien. Online: http://www.equi.at/dateien/evaluierung_der_bildungskare.pdf
- Most relevant webpage - in English
http://www.migration.gv.at/en/living-and-working-in-austria/working/lea…
- Most relevant webpage - local language
https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/content/k17/Seite.171800…
- Recent changes
The part-time education leave was introduced on the 1st of July 2013.
- Sources
http://www.sozialministerium.at/site/Arbeit/Arbeitsrecht/Bildungskarenz…
Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS) (2011) Evaluierung der Bildungskarenz 2000-2009. Wien. Online: http://www.equi.at/dateien/evaluierung_der_bildungskare.pdf
https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/content/k17/Seite.171800…
Lassnigg, Lorenz, & Unger, Martin. (2014´). Die Bildungskarenz als Lückenbüßer der sozialen Absicherung von Studierenden? - Ein ambitioniertes Programm findet seine Ziele. WISO 37(Sonderheft).