Standard work time

Standard work time in Austria is set at a maximum of 40 hours per week. This rule establishes the baseline threshold for ordinary working hours that employers may require of employees in most sectors of the economy. Any hours worked beyond this weekly limit are generally classified as overtime and subject to additional compensation or time-off provisions under Austrian labour law.

The regulation is codified in the Arbeitszeitgesetz (Working Time Act), the primary federal statute governing working hours, rest periods, and related protections for employees across Austria. The current consolidated version reflects amendments through 13 June 2026.

The 40-hour standard has remained the statutory ceiling for regular weekly work in Austria for many decades and continues to form the foundation of the country's working time framework. No recent statutory change to this core threshold has been enacted; the rule remains stable and consistently applied.

Employers and payroll teams must ensure that contracted working hours do not exceed 40 hours per week as a standard arrangement. Any hours beyond this limit must be recorded separately as overtime and compensated according to applicable collective agreements, employment contracts, or statutory overtime provisions. Payroll systems should track weekly hours carefully to identify when the 40-hour threshold is crossed, triggering overtime classification and appropriate additional pay or compensatory time off. Compliance with this rule is mandatory across all sectors unless specific sectoral exemptions or derogations apply under Austrian or EU law.