Notice period

Austria's notice period rules, governed by the Angestelltengesetz (Salaried Employees Act), establish a progressive termination timeline that increases with tenure. The base notice period is six weeks, measured from the end of a calendar month. After an employee completes two years of service, the notice period extends to two months to the end of a calendar month. Following five years of service, it increases to three months. At fifteen years of service, the notice period becomes four months, and after twenty-five years of service, it reaches five months to the end of a calendar month.

These rules apply to salaried employees (Angestellte) covered under the Angestelltengesetz, Austria's primary legislation for white-collar worker protections. The statute has remained substantively unchanged in its notice period provisions, though the consolidated version reflects ongoing legislative updates maintained in the Austrian Legal Information System (RIS).

The notice period applies equally to employer and employee terminations unless a collective bargaining agreement (Kollektivvertrag) provides more favorable terms for employees. Employers must observe the applicable notice period based on the employee's tenure at the time of termination. Payroll and HR teams must track service commencement dates precisely to determine which notice period applies. Termination notices must be submitted in writing and take effect only at the end of the specified calendar month. Failure to observe the correct notice period can render a termination invalid, requiring reinstatement or severance compensation. Organizations operating in Austria should document all service dates and consult collective agreements, as many sectors provide extended notice periods beyond statutory minimums.