Second Coronavirus Lockdown: Which Rules Apply for your Business in Austria?

Following you will find an overview of the most important elements of the second Austrian lockdown, respectively the new COVID-19 protective measures regulation, which will be valid from November 3, 2020:

Exit restrictions

• Leaving your own private living area is prohibited between 20.00 and 6.00 o'clock in the morning.
• There are only 5 exceptions: 
  • Professional purposes
  • Coverage of necessary basic needs of daily life
  • Support and care of the needy and family obligations
  • Defence of danger for body, life and property
  • Physical and mental recovery

Public space

• The basic rule is: In public places, all persons not living in their own household must be kept at a distance of one meter.
• When meeting in closed rooms, keep one meter distance and wear a mouth and nose protector. 
  • Exception: Minimum distance may be undercut in groups of maximum 6 persons (+ maximum 6 children) from a maximum of two different households.
• Birthday and anniversary celebrations are prohibited.

Private room

• The immediate private living area is not regulated.
• Garage, garden and barn parties are prohibited.

Gastronomy

• Catering establishments will be closed.
• Pick up is possible between 6.00 and 20.00 o'clock.
• Delivery services are allowed without time restrictions.
• Excluded from the ban on entering the premises are company restaurants and canteens for employees as well as catering businesses in hospitals and health resorts, nursing homes for the elderly and homes for the disabled, schools and kindergartens.

Accommodation facilities

• Accommodation facilities will be closed. (Accommodation establishments are defined as places of accommodation which are under the management or supervision of the accommodation provider or a person authorized by the latter and are intended for the accommodation of guests for a temporary stay, whether for payment or free of charge. Supervised camping or caravan sites, unless they are permanent sites, as well as refuges, are considered accommodation establishments).
• Excluded are, for example, accommodation for professional purposes or for persons who are already in accommodation at the time of the entry into force of this regulation - this applies for the duration agreed in advance.
• The ban on entering catering establishments in accommodation facilities does not apply if food and drinks are served exclusively to accommodation guests

Leisure facilities

Entering recreational facilities is prohibited, including in particular

• Showmen, amusement and leisure parks
• Fitness studios, spas, baths, saunas and dance schools
• Betting offices, slot machines, amusement arcades and casinos
• Show mines - Facilities for the practice of prostitution
• Theaters, concert halls and arenas, cinemas, variety theaters and cabarets
• Indoor playgrounds - Paintball facilities
• Museums, museum railroads, zoos and animal parks

Events

• Meetings and undertakings are generally prohibited. These include cultural events, sporting events, wedding celebrations, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, film screenings, trips with coaches or excursion boats for tourist purposes, exhibitions, congresses, trade and public fairs and occasional markets (Advent markets).
• Excluded are professional meetings when absolutely necessary and funerals with a maximum of 50 persons.
• Civil weddings (without guests) are possible, wedding ceremonies are prohibited.

Ropeways and rack railroads

The use of cable cars and rack railroads is only permitted for the following purposes:

• Averting an immediate danger
• Support of and assistance to persons in need of support
• Meeting the basic needs of daily life
• Professional and educational purposes
• Purpose of the exercise of sport by top athletes

Economic measures

To cushion the economic impact, short-time working will be improved and lost sales compensated.

Turnover compensation

• Companies that are directly affected by the restrictions of the regulation will be supported.
• The loss of sales in November 2020 will be compensated with up to 80% of the sales of the same month of the previous year (November 2019).
• The compensation is to be processed unbureaucratically via "FinanzOnline", the e-government service in Austria.
• EU-compliant solutions are currently being worked on for companies whose sales in the same month of the previous year (November 2019) amounted to more than EUR 800,000.

Short-time work (Kurzarbeit)

• Since October 1, 2020, short-time work can be applied for for a maximum of six months.
• Under certain conditions, it is possible to fall short of the currently envisaged minimum working time of 30 percent.
• The government is in talks with the social partners for further adjustments.
• Employees on short-time work will continue to receive 80 to 90 percent of their net income.
• The lost working hours can be used for further training. The costs of further training are subsidized by the AMS, the Austrian Public Employment Service.