Working Abroad on Vacation
Take a vacation and conquer the world, but is that even legal? Working abroad on vacation is a good idea for earning some money on the side.
Every country has its own laws, and Austria is no exception. But what are you actually allowed to do with your time off, or should you rather spend it like a local, on a staycation at home? Anyone who suffers from a chronic shortage of money, though, uses vacation as an occasion to earn a few bucks. Many companies do not like it when their employees are no longer on track professionally. They are, so to speak, cheating on the job and no longer have their heart in it. So good advice is hard to come by if you want to avoid getting into legal trouble.
What Is Allowed and What Is Not
- Working Abroad on Vacation
Many people earn a little extra on vacation and combine the useful with the pleasant. There is no precise, strict legal framework, though. So it depends largely on your boss. Now it is a matter of being honest and asking, because the best days of the year are meant for rest. Working abroad on vacation is supposed to serve the purpose of the vacation. And if you show up exhausted and with dark circles under your eyes, your boss sees red. This is what Austrian federal law provides:
• A vacation is for rest and leisure
• It is not meant for side work
• There must be no gainful employment during vacation
• Your boss or the company must also be informed
Simply deciding for yourself can really backfire. Companies depend on hardworking employees and count on them. Anyone who turns vacation into a side income is neither loyal nor fair, because they draw their benefits from working abroad on vacation.
Was It Done Deliberately
Working abroad on vacation can also be deliberate. For example, when you take vacation time for that very purpose. Perhaps because you take a trade fair job or drive a tour group around. Then it is gainful employment, and behind your boss's back at that. That means acting deliberately and putting your permanent position at risk. It is different if you help a farmer with the grape harvest or fill in as an entertainer. Then it is not deliberate; you are simply pitching in. Accordingly, the gainful work must not jeopardize the purpose of the vacation. Usually, though, that is exactly what happens, since some employees literally wear themselves out trying to improve their finances.
Your Conscience Decides
- Working Abroad on Vacation
Anyone who takes on work abroad during vacation can expect to be fired by some employers. Small favors for a little money, on the other hand, are allowed, because the leisure value is supposed to come first. Otherwise companies can even demand damages, and a formal warning lands in your mailbox. There is a reason employment contracts exist that regulate work and vacation. If you want to stay loyal to your company, honesty still lasts longest. So play with your cards on the table and explain your request to your boss. Then he knows what is going on and can decide about the work during vacation. After all, working abroad on vacation should never be the rule.