Exploring Austria: Understanding The Holiday Culture And Numbers

Austria is a country in Central Europe, known for its majestic mountain landscape, with the Eastern Alps covering more than 60% of the country. The country's capital, Vienna, is a cultural hub with Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings, and impressive villas from the Wilhelminian era. Austria also has many lakes, such as Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, Millstätter See and Wörthersee, which are popular with vacationers. So, how many holidays are there in Austria?

Austrians celebrate Christmas with markets, punch, mulled wine, and traditional food

Austria is known for its Christmas markets, which are held in cities across the country, including Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. The markets offer a magical experience, with twinkling lights, the scent of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, and the sounds of Christmas music. Visitors can enjoy handcrafted gifts, traditional decorations, and regional delicacies, as well as ice skating and children's programmes.

One of the most popular drinks at the Christmas markets is hot mulled wine, or Glühwein in German. It is typically made from red wine and mulling spices, with many variations available, such as orange, cinnamon, or berries. For those who prefer a less intense drink, Austrian Christmas punch is a popular choice, and tea or fruit juice is sometimes added to Glühwein to make it milder. There are also non-alcoholic versions available for children.

In addition to drinking, Austrians also enjoy traditional Christmas foods, such as cookies. Baking takes place at the end of November, and it is customary to serve a platter of different cookies to guests and family on Advent Sundays. Popular cookie varieties include Vanillekipferl, Rumkugeln, and Kokosbusserl.

Christmas in Austria is celebrated on the evening of the 24th of December, and many people attend a traditional Christmas Mass in church after exchanging presents.

There are 13 public holidays in Austria per year

The public holidays in Austria include some that are observed in certain federal states or industries, but not others. Holidays falling on Saturday and Sunday are not substituted by a weekday.

Some religious holidays are not officially recognised as public or national holidays

Austria is a predominantly Christian country, with around 58% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic. As a result, many of the holidays celebrated in Austria are religious holidays. However, only a small number of these are national holidays. For example, Austrians celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, which is a public holiday, but not all religious holidays are recognised as such.

In Roman Catholicism, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15. This day honours the day that Mother Mary ascended to Heaven. Similarly, the Immaculate Conception is observed by Roman Catholics on December 8. It celebrates the special birth of the Virgin Mary, who was the mother of Jesus Christ. However, these religious holidays are not officially recognised as public or national holidays in Austria.

Another example of a religious holiday that is not a public or national holiday in Austria is All Saints' Day, which is celebrated by Christians on November 1. This day is dedicated to honouring all the saints, especially those who are not celebrated on another assigned day during the year. While it is not a public or national holiday, it is still observed by many Christians in Austria.

It is important to note that while some religious holidays are not officially recognised as public or national holidays in Austria, they may still be observed and celebrated by those who follow the respective religions. These holidays can be important cultural and spiritual events, even if they are not widely recognised as public or national holidays.

Public holidays are regulated by the Federal Act Regulating Weekly Rest Periods and Public Holidays of 2010

Public holidays in Austria are regulated by the Federal Act Regulating Weekly Rest Periods and Public Holidays of 2010. This Act is very specific about national holidays, and employers should familiarise themselves with it. One of the most important parts of the Act is Chapter 3, Section 13a, which prohibits any employer from requiring an employee to work on December 8. Anyone who wants to take this date off, even if their job is one of necessity, cannot be reprimanded in any way. This section also prohibits the government from deploying troops or making any other type of military move on this day.

In the US, federal law also provides for the declaration of other public holidays by the President. Generally, the president will provide a reason for the elevation of the day and call on the people of the United States to observe the day "with appropriate ceremonies and activities". Examples of presidentially declared holidays include the days of the funerals for former presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter, when federal government offices are closed and employees are given a paid holiday. Occasionally, the President will also grant Christmas Eve as a holiday or partial holiday.

For the purpose of statutes relating to pay and leave of employees, with respect to a legal public holiday and any other day declared to be a holiday by Federal statute or Executive order, the following rules apply: instead of a holiday that occurs on a Saturday, the Friday immediately before is a legal public holiday. Instead of a holiday that occurs on a regular weekly non-workday of an employee whose basic workweek is other than Monday through Friday, the workday immediately before that regular weekly non-workday is a legal public holiday for the employee.

Employees are entitled to receive holiday pay for any national holiday that occurs on a regular working day

Employees in Austria are entitled to receive holiday pay for any national holiday that occurs on a regular working day. Under Austrian employment law, workers get 25 days of paid holiday per year, which rises to 30 days after 25 years of service. There are also 13 paid public holidays every year. Holiday pay should not be confused with the holiday allowance or holiday bonus. An employee is not legally entitled to a holiday allowance, but this is customarily paid in Austria as a 14th monthly salary. The special payments are frequently regulated in collective agreements.

In addition, employees in the construction sector receive benefits based on statutory annual leave entitlement from the Construction Workers' Holiday and Severance Pay Fund (BUAK) and not from their employer. Employers remit monthly wage supplements (referred to as annual leave supplements) to the BUAK, contributing to funding for their employees' annual leave entitlements. The BUAK then calculates the annual leave supplements and issues a corresponding payment order to employers.

Furthermore, employees can subsequently take holidays at any business, regardless of the time of employment with that company.

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