Elternkarenz and Elternteilzeit: Parental Leave and Part-Time Work in Austria

After the birth of a child, parents in Austria generally have two options: take time away from work on unpaid parental leave or continue working with reduced hours. This guide explains who is entitled to what, how long it can last and when the employer must be notified. The information reflects the rules in 2026.

At a glance

• Elternkarenz is a legal entitlement and the employer cannot refuse it.
• If only one parent takes leave, it can generally last until the end of the child’s 22nd month. If the parents take turns, it can last until the child’s second birthday.
• With Elternteilzeit, working time must be reduced by at least 20 percent and at least 12 hours per week must remain.
• You have a legal entitlement to part-time work if more than 20 employees work at the company and you have been employed there continuously for at least 3 years.
• During parental leave, you may work up to 551,10 euros per month in 2026 under the Geringfügigkeitsgrenze.

What are Elternkarenz and Elternteilzeit?

Elternkarenz means that you are released from the obligation to work. The employer does not pay your salary during this period. It is a statutory entitlement, so the employer cannot reject it.

Elternteilzeit means reducing your working hours or changing the distribution of your working time while keeping the same number of hours. You can apply for it even if you have not previously taken Karenz.

For the same child, one parent cannot be on Karenz while the other parent is working in Elternteilzeit.

How long can Elternkarenz last?

Karenz must last at least two months. The maximum duration depends on how the parents arrange it:

• Only one parent takes Karenz: until the end of the child’s 22nd month.
• The parents take turns: until the child’s second birthday.
• A changeover includes one month of overlap: until the end of the child’s 23rd month.
• Single parent: until the child’s second birthday, if the other parent does not live in the household or does not exist.
• One parent has no entitlement to Karenz, for example because they are self-employed, unemployed or a student: until the end of the child’s 24th month, if the other parent starts at least two months later.

For example, if a self-employed mother cares for the child alone until the first birthday, the employed father can take Karenz until the child’s second birthday.

If the child was born or adopted before 1 November 2023, the right to Karenz lasts until the child’s second birthday in any event.

Karenz can be divided a maximum of two times, creating up to three periods in total, such as mother, father and mother. Each period must last at least two months. The period can be extended once per parent and child.

When must Karenz be notified?

For the parent taking Karenz first, it begins when the post-birth protection period, known as the Schutzfrist, ends. This normally lasts eight weeks.

• Mother: must notify the employer during the protection period.
• Father: must notify the employer no later than eight weeks after the birth.
• Later start, where the other parent has no entitlement to Karenz: at least three months before the start date.
• Second or third period, or an extension: at least three months in advance. If the current period is shorter than three months, two months’ notice is sufficient.

The notification must state the start date and duration. Send it in a way that can be proven, for example by registered letter. The employer must issue confirmation of the start and duration of Karenz.

Do not submit the notification more than four months before the start date, because protection against dismissal begins no earlier than the fourth month before Karenz starts.

Can you work during Karenz?

Yes, but only within limits. In 2026, you may work for your own or another employer in marginal employment up to 551,10 euros per month, the Geringfügigkeitsgrenze.

Above this amount, you may work for a maximum of 13 weeks per year. If you are not on Karenz for the entire year, the permitted period is reduced proportionally. Working for another employer requires the consent of the employer connected to the employment relationship in Karenz.

Who is entitled to Elternteilzeit?

The rules depend on the size of the company and the length of your employment:

Part-time work based on a legal entitlement

• Requirements: more than 20 employees at the company and at least 3 years of continuous employment.
• Entitlement: yes.
• Duration for applications notified from 1 November 2023: up to 7 years, ending when the child reaches the end of their 8th year.

Part-time work based on an agreement

• Applies where: the company has no more than 20 employees or the employment relationship is shorter than 3 years.
• Entitlement: there is no legal claim; the arrangement requires agreement with the employer.
• Duration: until the child’s 8th birthday.

Time spent on Karenz counts towards the three years of employment. From the seven-year period, the post-birth protection period and both parents’ Karenz must be deducted. If the child starts school only after their seventh birthday, the time that has elapsed until then is added.

If no agreement can be reached, you may start legally entitled part-time work if the employer does not take the matter to court. For part-time work based on an agreement, you may bring a legal action, while the employer must explain the refusal in writing.

Other common requirements are that you live in the same household as the child or have custody, that the part-time arrangement lasts at least two months, and that it is used once per parent and child. Both parents may work part-time at the same time. Afterward, you have the right to return to your original number of working hours.

If you were already working part-time before the birth, you must reduce your hours further. This does not apply where only the distribution of working time is changed.

Deadlines and protection against dismissal during Elternteilzeit

Part-time work can begin no earlier than the end of the protection period. You must notify the employer in writing and state the conditions, including the start date, duration, number of hours and working-time schedule:

• Immediately after the protection period: the mother must notify the employer during the protection period; the father must do so no later than eight weeks after the birth.
• At a later date: at least three months before the start.

Special protection against dismissal and termination, known as Kündigungs- und Entlassungsschutz, applies until four weeks after the part-time arrangement ends, but no later than four weeks after the child’s fourth birthday. After that, protection based on the reason applies: you cannot be dismissed because of the part-time arrangement. If you are dismissed, you can request written reasons within five days.

Frequently asked questions

Does the employer pay a salary during Karenz?

No. The employer does not pay wages during Karenz. Marginal employment up to 551,10 euros per month is permitted.

Can both parents take Karenz at the same time?

No. An overlap of one month is possible only during the first changeover. In that case, Karenz lasts until the end of the child’s 23rd month.

Can the employer reject Elternteilzeit?

If you have a legal entitlement, the employer can challenge it only through the courts. If the arrangement requires an agreement, the employer can reject it but must give written reasons.

What happens if another child is born?

Elternteilzeit ends early if the parent takes Karenz or Elternteilzeit after the birth of the next child.

Practical steps

1. Decide whether you need full-time leave through Elternkarenz or reduced hours through Elternteilzeit.
2. Check your company’s employee count and your continuous employment period.
3. Work out the applicable end date and whether the other parent will take a period of Karenz.
4. Prepare a written notification stating the start date, duration, working hours and schedule where applicable.
5. Send the notification within the relevant deadline and use a method that provides proof, such as registered mail.
6. Ask the employer for written confirmation of the start and duration of Karenz or the agreed part-time arrangement.
7. Keep copies of all notifications and confirmations. For an individual case, seek advice from a lawyer or an employment-law specialist.

Note: This is general information based on sources available online and is not legal advice. Use it at your own risk. If you need professional advice, consult a lawyer, legal specialist, health professional, employment-law specialist or other relevant professional.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at