Anger is rising after the holiday tax decision!
"We didn't know about this," says a waitress angrily to oe24, adding: "Our company just informed us about this now – the austerity package is hitting workers again! Starting this year, a tax will be imposed on working during public holidays, which has come as an unexpected tax shock for many employees.
The reason for this change is due to a ruling issued by the Federal Finance Court (Bundesfinanzgericht), which abolished the tax exemption that was in effect until 2024, allowing for no taxes to be imposed on work during holidays if employees were not granted a special bonus for it. The Ministry of Finance adopted this ruling in April, and companies are now beginning to inform their employees of the new decision.
According to the Chamber of Labor (Arbeiterkammer), employees who work on holidays without receiving an additional bonus will have their income taxed as if it were regular working hours, which could lead to deductions of up to 130 euros per month.
Tourism sector employees feel severely harmed by this decision, as many of them rely on working during holidays as an additional source of income. A restaurant owner in Vienna angrily says: "First they imposed taxes on tips, and now working during holidays – where will we end up?"
Another waitress adds: "The government leaves us out in the rain. We work hard, and then taxes are imposed even on the last cent we earn." For its part, the Ministry of Finance stated that the purpose of this decision is to "establish legal clarity," but many consider it a hidden tax increase that adds a new burden on the working class.