2024-03-14 20:54:11
Further legislative resolutions from the National Council in the social and labor sectors also passed the state chamber
Vienna (PK) – At the end of today meeting Several legislative resolutions from the social and labor sectors have passed the Federal Council. For example, a majority of the Federal Councilors voted not to raise any objections to the Social Work Designation Act and the adaptation of various labor laws to a new EU directive. Likewise, the expansion of the education bonus to social assistance recipients, changes to the Home Victims’ Pension Act and the Family Burden Equalization Act as well as the adaptation of the legal provisions regarding the photo equipment of the e-card are finally on track. However, a motion for a resolution by the SPÖ on the subject of maternity benefit did not receive a majority.
There was also a discussion Message from Social and Health Minister Johannes Rauch regarding current EU projects in his area of responsibility. Among other things, it provides information regarding plans to improve the supply of medicines in Europe and to introduce a European disability card and was noted once morest the votes of the FPÖ. Austria has benefited “tangibly” from joining the EU; EU membership is an economic and social necessity, emphasized Rauch in the debate. In this sense, he also called for people to take part in the European elections and vote for pro-European parties.
Education bonus for social welfare recipients
The one approved by the majority of the Federal Council Education bonus for social welfare recipients is based on a similar regulation for recipients of unemployment benefit and emergency assistance. Anyone who takes part in longer AMS training measures will in future receive a monthly social assistance grant of up to €298.8 per month, depending on the duration of the training. In addition, there is the existing AMS allowance of €2.49 per day. This would enable social welfare recipients to complete longer training measures without having to “go hungry,” said Elisabeth Kittl (Greens/W). She is convinced that this would also break “the vicious circle of unskilled jobs, unemployed, unskilled jobs, unemployed” and thus sustainably reduce costs for the federal and state governments.
Philipp Kohl (ÖVP/B) and Marlies Doppler (FPÖ/S) also welcomed the project. The proposed subsidy reduces the financial burden during training and makes it easier to re-enter the job market, said Khol. Doppler emphasized the importance of a good education: the better the education, the less likely you are to fall into poverty.
Claudia Arpa (SPÖ/K), however, was critical of the amendment to the law. In principle, she believes it is positive that social assistance recipients will also be entitled to an education bonus in the future, but the costs of the implementation would have to be borne by the states without them being included in the project, she complained. For Vienna alone, this means additional expenditure of €30 million. Arpa also fears “bureaucratic problems” due to the payment modalities.
Transparent and predictable working conditions
With the Novelization the Employment Contract Law Adaptation Act, the Employees Act, the Temporary Employment Act and other laws, Austria is implementing an EU directive on transparent and predictable working conditions with some delay. This involves, for example, precise information on the duty sheet regarding the agreed activity, overtime pay and termination modalities, the establishment of a right to multiple employment and the assumption of the costs for mandatory training and further education. Although Austria already meets a large part of the EU requirements, legal additions and adaptations are necessary in individual areas.
The SPÖ expressed massive criticism of the legislative package. Sascha Obrecht (SPÖ/W) is convinced that Austria is not only failing to implement the EU directive, but is also not implementing it correctly. He therefore expects infringement proceedings.
Specifically, Obrecht misses a provision that allows employees following six months at the latest to request the employer for a form of work with predictable and safe working conditions without having to fear disadvantage. In addition, in his opinion, many measures such as not handing over a service note or the unlawful prohibition of further employment lack “effective, appropriate and dissuasive” sanctions. He criticized the penalty range of €500 to €2,000 for violations involving 6 employees as well as 8,000 employees. Other shortcomings he sees include a lack of reversal of the burden of proof in the event of terminations and inadequate transitional law.
The Styrian FPÖ Federal Councilor Andrea Michaela Schartel also agreed with Obrecht’s criticism. However, a motion submitted by the SPÖ to object to the National Council’s legislative resolution did not receive a majority in the vote.
Heike Eder (ÖVP/V) countered Obrecht that she did not understand why the SPÖ voted once morest improvements for employees. She sees the rights of employees as being strengthened by the present legislative package. This also ensures more fairness and transparency in the labor market and combats precarious employment relationships. In the future, service slips would have to be issued immediately following starting work. Maria Huber (Greens/St) also pointed out the ban on discrimination once morest employees who make use of their legally enshrined rights.
SPÖ calls for elimination of the “maternity benefit trap”
One was negotiated with the legislative package Amendment to the Family Burden Equalization Act, which passed the Federal Council unanimously. Since parents or intended parents have recently been able to take a leave of absence to accompany a seriously ill child – with no pay – even if they do not live in the same household as the child, the relevant provisions on financial hardship compensation had to be adjusted.
The SPÖ used the debate to call for a resolution to repair the ASVG in order to eliminate the “maternity benefit trap”. Vienna Federal Councilor Daniela Gruber-Pruner believes that it is unacceptable that women who are on parental leave are not entitled to maternity benefit if they no longer receive childcare benefit around the birth of another child. In your opinion, this is contrary to European law. She also pointed out negative consequences for the pension.
The SPÖ received support from FPÖ Federal Councilor Schartel. If you get pregnant at the wrong time, you won’t receive any money, you won’t have insurance coverage, and you won’t be able to work in the weeks before the birth because of the employment ban, she pointed out.
However, since the motion for a resolution was only supported by the opposition, it did not find a majority. According to Green MP Huber, work is already being done “very intensively” on a solution to this problem.
Further resolutions of the state chamber
With the necessary two-thirds majority, the state chamber has one Amendment of the Home Victims’ Pension Act approved. In response to a VwGH ruling, this ensures that additional pension payments or flat-rate compensation payments for victims of nursing homes do not lead to a reduction in social assistance benefits. Only the NEOS voted once morest the amendment to the law.
That too Social Work Designation Act passed the Federal Council once morest the votes of NEOS. The aim of the new law is to legally protect professional titles in the field of social work such as “social worker” or “social educator”. Anyone who does not have a relevant academic or diploma education and still uses the relevant job titles risks an administrative fine of up to €15,000 in the future.
Finally, the parliamentary deliberations on a ASVG amendment finally completed. The main aim is to make it easier for foreign citizens to provide a photo for the e-card through additional photo registration points. (Continuation of the Federal Council) gs
NOTE: Meetings of the National Council and the Federal Council can also be followed via live stream and are available as video-on-demand in the Parliament’s media library available.
Questions & Contact:
Press service of the Parliamentary Directorate
Parliamentary correspondence
Tel. +43 1 40110/2272
pressedienst@parlament.gv.at
www.facebook.com/OeParl
www.twitter.com/oeparl
1710450433
#Federal #Council #approves #expansion #education #bonus #receiving #social #assistance
