Notice of parental leave (Karenz) to the employer (Austria)
Published byDocMuse
This document is in German
The PDF you download is in German — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
The notice telling an Austrian employer when your parental leave (Karenz) starts and how long it lasts, under the Maternity Protection Act (§ 15 MSchG) or the Fathers' Leave Act (§ 2 VKG): child and date of birth, leave from–to, the other parent's parts. For children born from 1 November 2023, Karenz runs to the end of the 22nd month, or the 24th if shared — the document prints the rule for your child. With a receipt block. Childcare benefit (Kinderbetreuungsgeld) is claimed separately from the health insurer, usually the ÖGK. In German.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Employee
- Employee's address
- Employer
- Employer's postal address (department if any, street, postcode and town)
- City
- Date
- Employee's personnel number
- Act under which the Karenz is taken (MSchG for the mother, VKG for the father)
- Child's name (if already known)
- Child's date of birth, or expected date of birth
- Period from
- Period to
- Child born before or from 1 November 2023 (sets the longest Karenz)
- The other parent's Karenz: periods (or “none”)
Preview
This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.
Common questions
- By when must Karenz be notified to the employer in Austria?
- The mother gives the start and length by the end of the protection period after the birth (§ 15 MSchG); the father, for Karenz straight after it, no later than eight weeks after the birth (§ 2 VKG). A part that follows the other parent's Karenz must be notified at least three months before that Karenz ends (§ 15a MSchG, § 3 VKG). No form is prescribed, and the Austrian Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer) also offers free model letters. Notify in writing and have receipt confirmed.
- How long does Karenz last in Austria for children born from 1 November 2023?
- If only one parent takes it, to the end of the child's 22nd month at most. It runs to the end of the 24th month if the parents share it and the other parent takes at least two months, for single parents, and where the other parent has no right to Karenz. Each part lasts at least two months, and the leave may pass between the parents twice. For children born before 1 November 2023, Karenz ran to the second birthday.
- Is there protection against dismissal during Karenz in Austria?
- Yes. Protection against notice and summary dismissal lasts until four weeks after the Karenz ends (§ 10 MSchG, § 7 VKG). For the father it starts with the notice, but not earlier than four months before the Karenz begins and not before the birth (§ 7 VKG). That is why a dated receipt for the notice matters. Karenz and childcare benefit are separate: the benefit is claimed from the health insurer, and how long it is paid need not match the Karenz.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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