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Guide · Austria · Working time

Working time recording in Austria: what § 26 AZG requires in 2026

Venheim editorial team

Updated 9 min read

Yes, recording working time is mandatory in Austria — for every business, whatever its size: § 26 AZG requires the start, end and rest breaks of every employee to be recorded continuously. Missing records can lead to administrative fines for each person affected. The law does not prescribe a particular technology — but the records must be prompt and reliable.

Every business in Austria has to record the working time of its staff. This guide explains what § 26 AZG actually requires, why Excel and timesheets are risky, what gets more attention in 2026 and how long to keep the records — factually and without scaremongering.

What § 26 AZG requires

§ 26 of the Austrian Working Time Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz, AZG) obliges employers to record the start and end of working time and the rest breaks continuously and reliably. The records must also show that the daily rest period of, as a rule, eleven hours (§ 12 AZG) and the maximum working hours were respected. The purpose is simple: in an inspection by the Labour Inspectorate or in a dispute about overtime, it must be possible to prove when people actually worked.

Start & end

The beginning and end of all working time — per person, per day, recorded promptly.

Rest breaks

When the breaks are taken and how long they last. For more than six hours of work, a break of at least 30 minutes is required (§ 11 AZG).

Rest periods in view

The times must show the daily rest period (§ 12 AZG) — especially when a late shift is followed by an early one.

More in the glossary: working time records.

Why Excel and timesheets are risky

Neither continuous nor reliable

A list filled in at the end of the month is exactly what § 26 does not want: neither prompt nor verifiable. It can be changed afterwards at any time and proves no real times. In hospitality, with changing shifts and temporary staff, that soon shows.

Fines & back payments

§ 28 AZG provides for administrative fines per employee and per offence — in a larger team that adds up. On top of that, the hours reported are linked to social insurance; anyone who cannot document them properly also risks back payments in an audit.

What missing records can cost

For missing or improper working time records, § 28 AZG provides for administrative fines of €72 to €1,815, for repeat offences €145 to €1,815 (as of August 2026). § 28(8) is decisive: if the missing records make it impossible or unreasonable to establish the actual working time, a separate fine is imposed for each employee. With a team of ten, a five-figure sum is quickly on the table — not as scaremongering, but as simple arithmetic.

Then there is the practical risk beyond the fine: in a dispute about overtime without records, the employee's account easily prevails — whoever cannot prove when people worked negotiates from the weaker position.

What counts for more in 2026

The duty to keep records is not new — what is changing is how firmly it is enforced. Inspectors increasingly insist on prompt, tamper-resistant recording instead of lists handed in later. At the same time, the weekly hours actually worked get more attention in social insurance audits, because they are tied to the contribution base. For a small business that means in practice: switching to clean, continuous recording now puts you on the safe side in an inspection — however the details are eventually set out.

How long to keep the records?

Working time records should stay available at least as long as claims can arise from them or they can be audited. In practice, businesses often go by the tax retention period (Austrian Federal Fiscal Code, BAO: seven years) and by the limitation periods of employment law. If in doubt, have the period that applies to you checked — it depends on the individual case.

Germany in brief

In Germany the duty follows from § 16 ArbZG together with the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU (2019) and the decision of the Federal Labour Court (2022); an explicit statutory framework is being put in place. The basic idea and the aim are the same — record the start, end and duration of daily working time. Please check the details against the current legal position.

Keep it digital with Venheim

This is exactly what the time clock in Venheim is built for: your team clocks in, out and on break on their own phone — promptly, with a location check. Clock-ins are never deleted, only cancelled or corrected, each with a reason and a log entry. The § 26 export comes as a CSV, and working hours flow into the monthly package for your tax adviser. Start for free, no payment details.

Record time where the work starts: one tap on your own phone, with the time and without paper.Demo data from the sample business Cafe Sunshine, app shown in German
Start free

Try Premium for 30 days, no payment details. After that your business carries on free on the Start plan; records stay readable and exportable.

The sign-up form is in German for now. Inside the app, everyone picks their own language — nine languages, English included.

Important: not legal advice

This guide gives a general overview and is expressly not legal advice. The legal position can change and depends on your business, the applicable collective agreement and the individual case. If in doubt, contact a tax adviser, the Austrian Economic Chamber or the Labour Inspectorate.

Related

Time tracking by phoneA time clock under § 26 AZG with a location check, tamper-resistant, § 26 export included.Retention: how long?Periods for records and receipts — hygiene retention versus tax retention explained.Time tracking in a gymA time clock on their own phone for trainers and front desk; planned shift and clocked time side by side.Time tracking in retail§ 26 AZG applies to a small shop with two temps too: in and out with one tap, person and time recorded.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly has to be recorded under § 26 AZG?
§ 26 of the Austrian Working Time Act (AZG) requires employers to record the start and end of working time and the rest breaks for every employee, continuously and reliably. The records must also show whether the daily rest period and the maximum working hours were respected. They have to be kept promptly — reconstructing the month from memory at the end of it does not serve the purpose.
Is an Excel sheet or a timesheet enough?
The law does not prescribe a particular technology — in theory paper is allowed too. In practice, though, Excel lists and timesheets filled in after the fact are the main problem: they can be changed at any time, prove no real times and carry little weight in an inspection or a dispute about overtime. Prompt, tamper-resistant recording is considerably safer.
What are the penalties for missing records?
§ 28 AZG provides for administrative fines of €72 to €1,815, for repeat offences €145 to €1,815 (as of August 2026). § 28(8) is the important part: if the missing records make it impossible or unreasonable to establish the working time, a separate fine is imposed for each employee — so the amounts add up with the size of the team. The authority sets the actual amount case by case.
May employees see their own records?
Yes. The AZG gives employees the right to request their working time records — monthly on request. The simplest way to handle this in practice is for everyone to see their own times at any moment; in Venheim, everyone sees their own clock-ins and monthly totals on their phone whenever they like, without asking a manager.
Does the duty apply in Germany too?
In Germany, a duty to record working time follows from § 16 ArbZG together with the 2019 ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU and the 2022 decision of the Federal Labour Court (BAG); a statutory framework in the ArbZG is being put in place. The basic idea is the same as in Austria: the start, end and duration of daily working time must be recorded. The details differ — if in doubt, check the current legal position.

Sources

About Venheim

Venheim is operations software for hospitality, studios and retail — built inside a real business and used there every day. Every feature and every guide comes from that daily work and is tested against it. More about Venheim. Not legal advice — where in doubt, the authority, the chamber or a law firm has the final word.