Special Leave for a Wedding: Regulations in Austria

You’re getting married soon and have planned the entire wedding, but one question remains: What’s the deal with special leave in Austria for a wedding? Our blog post on this topic clearly explains what you need to keep in mind and what you need to discuss with your boss or the HR department. Here, you’ll learn how many days of special leave you’re entitled to for a wedding, when it’s best to take those days off, and what documentation you’ll need to provide.

As you can see, wedding planning involves much more than just organizing the wedding day itself. If you’re smart, you’ll coordinate everything related to taking special leave for the wedding well in advance—that way, you can plan ahead with peace of mind and still have some extra days off to add to your honeymoon.

Special Leave for Weddings—Explained Simply!

Special leave for weddings—also known as “unable to work” in Austria—allows you, as a bride-to-be or groom-to-be, to take additional vacation days for wedding planning, the wedding itself, and the honeymoon that follows. This means you can count on a few extra days in addition to your annual leave—your annual leave entitlement is extended by these days. You’ll find out right here how many days of special leave you’re entitled to and what you need to keep in mind regarding this type of leave entitlement …

How many days of special leave am I entitled to?

The number of days of special leave you’re entitled to when you get married always depends on the length of your employment and the terms of your collective bargaining agreement. As a general rule, however, you and your partner are entitled to one to three days of special leave for your wedding. You’re probably wondering, “Howand when can I use my special leave days for the wedding?”

It’s best to discuss this directly with your employer in a face-to-face conversation. If your employer has never had a situation where someone got married and asked for special leave for the wedding, you can use this information to let them know or refer them to the Austrian Digital Government Office.

The Austrian Digital Government explains, with regard to vacation entitlements, that “other personal reasons” qualify as grounds for additional vacation days—and these include:

• the wedding
• the birth of a child
• Death
• Moving
• Subpoena from Government Agencies
• Doctor's Visit

Depending on the circumstances, according to the Austrian Digital Office, employees are entitled to continued pay for a relatively short period (usually for a maximum of one week).

Is my family entitled to time off for my wedding?

‍“ Whatabout my parents and my spouse’s siblings? Does our family have to take special leave for our wedding?” This is a question we hear time and time again, and the answer is simple: Close family members (parents, siblings, children) are entitled to request one day of special leave.
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Proof of Special Leave for a Wedding

A marriage certificate or a certificate of registered partnership is sufficient proof to qualify for special leave for a wedding. You can send the certificate to your employer as a PDF without being asked, or you can wait until your employer or the HR department requests it—since not every company requires proof for special leave. However, if you receive the marriage certificate from the registrar, we recommend making a copy of it right away—that way, you’ll have it on hand at any time if you’re asked for it.
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What does your collective bargaining agreement say about special leave?

As the Digital Office’s note already explains, the right to continued pay for a wedding applies for “arelatively short period oftime” —which usually means one to three days. A look at your employment contract will usually provide more specific details. Otherwise, you can also find the grounds for absence from work with continued pay—also known as special leave—in the industry-specific collective bargaining agreements. The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber is happy to provide information on the various collective bargaining agreements for each industry.
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When should I take my special leave?

The company you work for will treat your honeymoon just like any other vacation. Generally, you won’t be granted any special leave days for this—but you’re, of course, free to combine your special leave days with some of your regular vacation days to enjoy a long and relaxing vacation around your wedding.