16/04/2021 RAP/RCha/AUS/9 (2021) EUROPEAN SOCIAL CHARTER 9th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by THE GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRIA Articles 3, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the European Social Charter for the period 01/01/2016 – 31/12/2019 Report registered by the Secretariat on 16 April 2021 CYCLE 2021 REVISED EUROPEAN SOCIAL CHARTER 9th NATIONAL REPORT in accordance with Article C of the Revised European Social Charter and Article 21 of the European Social Charter on measures taken to give effect to Articles 3, 11, 12, 13 and 14 for the period from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2019 submitted by THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRIA The ratification instrument of the Revised European Social Charter was deposited on 20 May 2011 Austria has accepted the Articles of the thematic group “Health, social security and social protection” with the exception of Articles 23 and 30. In accordance with Article C of the Revised European Social Charter and Article 23 of the European Social Charter, copies of this report have been communicated to: the Austrian Trade Union Federation (Österreichischer Gewerkschaftsbund) the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (Bundesarbeitskammer) the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich) the Federation of Austrian Industry (Vereinigung der Österreichischen Industrie) the Presidential Conference of Austrian Chambers of Agriculture (Präsidentenkonferenz der Landwirtschaftskammern Österreichs) Council of Austrian Chambers of Agricultural Labour (Österreichischer Landarbeiterkammertag) Content ARTICLE 3 THE RIGHT TO SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKING CONDITIONS ............................... 4 Paragraph 1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Paragraph 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Paragraph 3 .................................................................................................................................................... 28 ARTICLE 11 – THE RIGHT TO PROTECTION OF HEALTH ...................................................... 39 Paragraph 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 39 Paragraph 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 41 Paragraph 3 .................................................................................................................................................... 48 ARTICLE 12 – THE RIGHT TO SOCIAL SECURITY ................................................................. 61 Paragraph 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 61 Paragraph 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 61 Paragraph 3 .................................................................................................................................................... 61 Paragraph 4 .................................................................................................................................................... 73 ARTICLE 13 – THE RIGHT TO SOCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ...................................... 76 Paragraph 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 76 Paragraph 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 112 Paragraph 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 112 Paragraph 4 .................................................................................................................................................. 113 ARTICLE 14 – THE RIGHT TO BENEFIT FROM SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES ......................... 113 Paragraph 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 113 Paragraph 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 145 As requested by the Committee, this report is limited to specific and targeted questions raised in the Appendix of the email of 3 June 2020. In addition, the report contains replies to conclusions of non-conformity. Where the situation was found to be in conformity in the previous cycle and where no major changes have occurred, this report does not provide additional information. Replies to the specific questions were prepared between the first COVID-19 wave (spring 2020) and the second wave (autumn 2020). The measures described here were taken in response to the first COVID-19 wave and then appropriately expanded, extended or adapted as COVID-19 infections increased again (second wave). 3 Article 3 – The right to safe and healthy working conditions With a view to ensuring the effective exercise of the right to safe and healthy working conditions, the Parties undertake, in consultation with employers’ and workers’ organisations: Paragraph 1 - to formulate, implement and periodically review a coherent national policy on occupational safety, occupational health and the working environment. The primary aim of this policy shall be to improve occupational safety and health and to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with or occurring in the course of work, particularly by minimising the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment; a) Please provide information about policy formulation processes and practical arrangements made to identify new or emerging situations that represent a challenge to the right to safe and healthy working conditions; also provide information on the results of such processes and of intended future developments. Reference is made to previous reporting which is updated as follows: Occupational safety and health in Austria Distribution of competence for passing and enforcing legislation and Labour monitoring bodies: Monitoring within the federal sphere (private businesses, federal employees, federal, state (Laender) and local government operations, with the exception of farming and forestry operations) is performed by the Labour Inspectorate. The Central Labour Inspectorate (Zentral-Arbeitsinspektorat, ZAI) is part of the Federal Ministry of Labour. The Labour Inspectorates are administrative offices under the ministry. This body is governed by the Federal Labour Inspection Act (Bundesgesetz über die Arbeitsinspektion 1993; ArbIG), Federal Law Gazette no. 27/1993; as last amended. The Transport Labour Inspectorates (Verkehrs-Arbeitsinspektion, VAI) are part of the Federal Ministry of Labour. The Transport Labour Inspectorates are competent to monitor transport companies (railway, postal services, ships and boats, airplanes, parts of telecommunications) and check observance of workers’ health and safety regulations along the same lines as the Labour Inspectorate. With regard to legislation in general governing safety and health of agricultural and forestry workers, reference is made to the Federal Constitutional Law (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz, B- VG), which was amended by Federal Law Gazette I no. 14/2019. The scope of competence for agricultural labour law, including occupational safety and health, was shifted (the changes entered into force after the period covered in the 9th report): Agricultural labour law was transferred from Art. 12 B-VG (the Federal Government passes fundamental laws and the Laender are competent for implementing acts and enforcement) to Art. 11 B-VG (Federal Government passes laws and the Laender enforce them) as of 1 January 2020. The implementing acts previously passed by the Laender (agricultural labour regulations) continue to apply as federal law until the changes take effect; this means that as yet nothing has materially changed for workers. 4 As previously, the agricultural and forestry inspectorates continue to be responsible for monitoring agricultural and forestry businesses. Government employees at Laender and municipal level are covered by separate bodies responsible to monitor workers’ health and safety regulations. Plans do exist, however, to replace the current nine acts, one for each Land, with a uniform federal law. General objective and the policy Austria’s Occupational Safety and Health Strategy 2013-2020 (ÖAS) In Austria’s 5th report on the Implementation of the Revised European Social Charter, details have been previously provided on the Occupational Safety and Health Strategy for Austria 2013–2020 (Österreichische ArbeitnehmerInnenschutzstrategie 2013–2020, ÖAS), the participating institutions and related projects, as well as materials published as part of this strategy. The Occupational Safety and Health Strategy for Austria 2013–2020 links together all groups at regional and national levels who are active in occupational safety and health. Within this umbrella strategy, defined in terms of processes and based