Live-in care as dependent employment (‘Employment’)

A dependent carer can either be employed directly by the person to be cared for or their relatives or by an aid organisation (e.g. Hilfswerk, Diakonie, Caritas, Volkshilfe, etc.). The working conditions are regulated in the employment contract.

The dependent carer is protected by labour law and is automatically registered with the Austrian Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer Österreich (AK)).

The employer must register the carer with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (Österreichischen Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK)), keep a separate payroll account for the carer and pay health and social security contributions as well as ancillary wage costs in addition to the gross wage. In addition to the payment of wages, the employer is also responsible for all employer obligations, such as special payments, continued payment of wages in the event of illness, granting of paid holidays, etc.

The professional activities of employed carers are regulated by the following laws:

- Domestic Helpers and Domestic Employees Act (HgHaG)

- §3b and §15 Para. 7 of the Health and Nursing Care Act (GuKG)

- §50b of the Medical Practitioners Act (Ärztegesetz)

More information on the dependent employment of carers:

https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/soziales/pflege/1/2/Seite.360733.html