In the fight against rising unemployment and in an attempt to boost a flagging economy, ministers and experts from both parties in Austria’s coalition government at the close of the ‘Summit meeting for the economy and the jobs market’ that was held on 29 October, have come to an agreement over implementing an array of various measures including lowering employers social contributions, introducing a new bonus/malus system to boost hiring of the over 50s, and modifying the ‘All-in’ employment contract. On 03 November, the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs presented a draft law that aims to facilitate a better work life balance. All the measures are due to come into force on 01 January 2016. Planet Labor outlines the main points from both texts below making up the principal measures resulting from the ‘Summit meeting for the economy and the jobs market’.
Lower social contributions for employers. This will take place in two stages. The first stage starts on 01 January 2016 and concerns contributions to the Bankruptcy Fund that finances a proportion of social plans and redeployment measures. Contribution levels will fall from 0.45% to 0.35%, which, according to Economics Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner, will be worth some €80 million.
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