European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
Eurofound's ERM database on restructuring-related legal regulations provides information on regulations in the Member States of the European Union and Norway which are explicitly or implicitly linked to anticipating and managing change.
45a and Council Directive 98/59/EC
The definition of collective dismissals covers employers with more than 20 employees, who dismiss, or make redundant, at least 5 persons within 30 days.
Employers are obliged to notify the Austrian public employment service (AMS) if they intend to dismiss (AMFG, §45a):
within 30 days. The notification to the AMS has to be submitted at least 30 days before the first dismissal. Similarly, employers are also required to notify their workforce and the affected employees of redundancies at least 30 days before the planned first dismissals.
In the notification notice to the AMS employers are not required to justify the redundancies. However, the employer has to indicate the grounds for dismissal and prove that the works council has been informed and consulted. Additionally, information on accompanying social support measures for affected workers are required to be included in the notice.
The statutory notification deadline of 30 days can be extended by collective agreements. In practice, the collective agreements of major industries in Austria are limited to a recommendation to inform employees and the AMS as soon as possible (e.g. collective agreement for the food-manufacturing and beverage industries, the chemical industry, iron and metal goods industry.
The notification notice is also necessary in cases of insolvency.
Eurofound (2015), Austria: Definition of collective dismissal, Restructuring legislation database, Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/legislationdb/definition-of-collective-dismissal/austria
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