Background information

In order to cope with bottlenecks due to the spread of COVID-19 - especially in the areas of nursing and social care as well as in the rescue and health services - more civilian service workers are now being mobilised. First, current civil servants are extended, and secondly, former civil servants are recruited voluntarily. (The so-called 'alternative civilian service' is an alternative form of the mandatory national military service (substitute service). The regular length of ordinary alternative civilian service is nine months, with some compensation provided.) In the pre-existing Civil Service Act (§8a/Abs.6), such a case has been provided for (see sources).

Content of measure

The length of civilian service is extended by 3 months for all those for who it would end by the end of March 2020 (until the end of June 2020 i.e. mandatory, by legal notice). Depending on the development of the situation and as required, those who finish their civil service in April or May 2020 may also receive an extension of up to 3 months. It is planned to transfer civilian servicemen who are currently serving or will soon be serving to positions where there is special need (e.g. if a civilian servant would have an assignment for a kindergarten, but this is closed, he will be assigned to another facility instead, e.g. a retirement home). In addition, former civil servants are recruited voluntarily for full-time positions (at least 40 hours per week, overtime can be added) from May or June 2020 for a duration of two to three months.

While regular civil servants who have been mandatorily extended receive their regular remuneration (€346.70) plus supplement of €189.90 (tax free), the newly recruited voluntary former civil servants receive in addition to this a flat-rate compensation of almost €1,300 (gross).

Use of measure

The extension of the civil service for those for who it would have ended in March applies to around 1,500 persons. On 1 April 2020, around 3,500 newly recruited voluntary former civil servants started their service.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Other groups of workers	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

N/A

Views and reactions

This was a unilateral initiative by the government.

Sources

• 10 April 2020: Civil Service Act, §8a/6 (www.ris.bka.gv.at)
• 10 April 2020: Voluntary registration for extraordinary community service (www.zivildienst.gv.at)
• 10 April 2020: For civil servants currently performing: Extension of service until June 2020 (www.zivildienst.gv.at)