Training leave/training part-time

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Name of the instrument - Local language
Bildungskarenz, Bildungsteilzeit
Name of the instrument - English translation
Training leave/training part-time
Scheme ID
11
Country
Austria
Reporting year
2020
Type of instrument
Training leave
Sub-type of instrument
State-supported (longer) scheme with wage replacement paid to individuals
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 leave have the right to return to their workplace. The employer needs to agree with the leave. Since its last wholesale reform (2007), the training leave scheme has grown into the single most important co-funding scheme in Austria.

Level of operation
National
Name of a part of the country
Not applicable
Name of the region (for regional instruments)
Not applicable
Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
Not applicable
Relevance
Key instrument
§ 11 AVRAG; (Arbeitsvertragsrechts-Anpassungsgesetz); § 26 AlVG ; (Arbeitslosenversicherungsgesetz)
Objective(s) and target(s)
To achieve a higher level qualification
Year of implementation
1998
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
There is no preferential treatment
Education and training eligible
all kinds of education and training (verifiable)
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 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
Not applicable, a lump sum is paid to the beneficiaries
Volumes of funding
EUR 250 439 000 in 2020
Beneficiaries/take up
12 579 in 2020Part-time leave: approx. 3 800 yearly, of which 56% women. 67% between 25 and 45 years.
Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
AMS (Public Employment Service)
Monitoring/evaluation reports available
Papouschek, U. (2017), BezieherInnen von Fachkräftestipendium, Weiterbildungsgeld und Bildungsteilzeitgeld, Endbericht der Forschungs- und Beratungsstelle Arbeitswelt (siehe auch unter der Maßnahme „Fachkräftestipendium") http://www.forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/1242-FB_4_2017.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.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/arbeit_und_pension/bildungskarenz_…
Recent changes

No recent amendment

Recent changes in response to COVID-19

No changes

Sources
Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS) (2011) Evaluierung der Bildungskarenz 2000-2009. Wien. Online: http://www.equi.at/dateien/evaluierung_der_bildungskare.pdf
Papouschek, U. (2017), BezieherInnen von Fachkräftestipendium, Weiterbildungsgeld und Bildungsteilzeitgeld, Endbericht der Forschungs- und Beratungsstelle Arbeitswelt (siehe auch unter der Maßnahme „Fachkräftestipendium")
http://www.dnet.at/elis/Kennzahlen.aspx
Lassnigg, Lorenz, & Unger, Martin. (2014´). Die Bildungskarenz als Lückenbüßer der sozialen Absicherung von Studierenden? - Ein ambitioniertes Programm findet seine Ziele. WISO 37(Sonderheft).
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