A company outing sounds like a simple appointment: meeting point, program, shared meal. Nevertheless, practical questions quickly arise for employees. Do you have to participate? Does the time count as working time? What happens if the team continues celebrating into the evening? Who pays for travel and activities? And does accident insurance also apply outside the workplace?
A blanket answer would be irresponsible. What matters are the timing, voluntariness, company organization, and the specific course of events. This guide shows how to Company outing and working time in Austria correctly classify which points you should clarify beforehand and how to avoid misunderstandings.
The 60-second check before the company outing
Before you agree or decline, answer six questions:
- Does the event take place during your scheduled working hours?
- Is participation explicitly voluntary, or is it expected or mandated?
- What about employees who do not participate?
- How are travel to the event, the return trip, and any extension into the evening recorded?
- Which costs does the company cover?
- Who organizes the event, and are there any notes regarding safety, photography, or alcohol?
If clear information is missing, submit your questions in writing to your manager, HR department, or works council before the event. The designation 'team event', 'summer party' or 'company outing' alone does not determine this; what matters is how the event is actually organized.
When the company outing counts as working time
The Styrian Chamber of LabourExplains regarding company parties: If the event takes place during regular working hours, that time counts as working time. If celebrations continue voluntarily after the scheduled end of work, merely participating generally does not create overtime.
Example: Your regular working hours on Friday are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The company outing begins at 10 a.m. and the official program ends at 4 p.m. That period falls within your working hours. If the team then voluntarily stays until 8 p.m. at the Heurigen (traditional wine tavern), the additional four hours are not considered overtime for that reason alone.
The classification can be different if the company orders a mandatory training, presentation or a specific work task after 4 p.m. Then it is no longer just voluntary celebration. In such cases, make sure in advance how the time will be recorded and compensated.
Part-time and days off
For part-time employees, the individual duty roster applies. An event in the afternoon is not automatically paid working time if the agreed working hours already end at midday. If attendance is required outside the schedule, working time, possible additional hours and compensatory time off should be explicitly clarified. The same applies if the outing falls on a day that is normally a day off.
Note the start and end times as on a normal workday. The jobspot-guideRecord working hours zeigt, warum eigene Aufzeichnungen bei späteren Unklarheiten wichtig sind.
Do I have to attend the company outing?
According to the AK, a company event outside working hours is generally voluntary and unpaid. The employer cannot make free time compulsory simply by issuing an invitation. Even during regular working hours, employees can, according to AK Steiermark, refuse to participate in a company celebration. However, in that case the usual duty to work generally applies.
This leads to three typical situations:
- Event during working hours, work is possible: Wer nicht teilnimmt, arbeitet regulär.
- Event outside working hours: Die Teilnahme ist freiwillig; die Zeit ist üblicherweise unbezahlt.
- Business closed, no work offered: Nicht vorschnell Urlaub, Zeitausgleich oder Minusstunden akzeptieren, sondern die Regelung klären.
In the third option it's important: vacation must generally be agreed upon. The Chamber of Labour on vacation use explicitly states that employers cannot unilaterally send employees on vacation. Those who refuse the trip and offer their work should declare this willingness to work in a way that can be proven. Whether a special contractual or company rule still applies depends on the individual case.
Time off in lieu or negative hours are also not automatically the right solution just because the business closes that day. The guide explains more: Negative hours at work.
What applies to travel to and from work?
The journey to a voluntary leisure program is not automatically a business trip. According to the Unternehmensserviceportal, a business trip exists when employees leave the place of work at the employer's request to perform work duties elsewhere. Travel times are considered working hours in this context, although special rules may apply to passive travel time.
For a company outing, you should therefore not automatically assume the rules of a classic business trip. Ask specifically:
- Does the recorded time begin at the company, at the agreed meeting point, or only at the event location?
- Is the shared bus part of the official program?
- Who covers train tickets, mileage allowance, taxi, or parking costs?
- Are employees allowed to travel to and from the event individually?
- How is a return trip after regular working hours handled?
A clear commitment to costs and time tracking prevents team members from discovering differing assumptions only after the event. For actual business trips, the jobspot-article "Clarify business trip a separate checklist.
When statutory accident insurance applies
The Workers' Chamber on workplace accidents explicitly lists company outings and company parties organized and paid for by the employer as insured situations. The operational connection is therefore central. A clearly organized group event should be assessed differently from a private gathering of individual colleagues after the official end.
This does not mean that every accident that happens during any private after-event is automatically recognized as an occupational accident. Private detours, unauthorized risky activities, or an evening clearly separated from the official program can complicate the assessment. The concrete circumstances remain decisive.
What to do after an accident
- Provide first aid and, if necessary, call emergency services or medical assistance.
- Inform the event organizer or employer immediately.
- Note the time, place, activity and any possible witnesses.
- Clearly inform the doctor that the accident occurred at a company event.
- Check whether the required accident report has been submitted to the insurer.
Employees should not, out of a desire for harmony, portray an incident as a private leisure accident if it actually happened during the official company outing. The legal classification is made by the responsible insurer based on the facts.
Costs, meals and tax-free benefit
Whether the company covers travel, admission, meals and drinks should be stated in the invitation. Paying the costs is not the same as the question of working time: a paid dinner does not automatically make a voluntary evening event paid working time.
For tax purposes this is called \"Federal Ministry of Finance an annual tax-free benefit of up to 365 euros per person for participation in company events. This includes, for example, company outings, cultural events, and company parties. This amount is a tax threshold for employer benefits, not an individual cash entitlement or a right to an event.
If employees are expected to pay themselves, a transparent breakdown is useful: binding personal contribution, included services, cancellation policy, and payment deadline. In the case of voluntary participation, no one should be confronted with unexpected costs only after having agreed to attend.
Photos and videos: Think before you post
A group photo for the intranet is different from publication on a publicly accessible company website or on social media. Recognizable images involve personal data and personality rights. The Data Protection Authority on photos and videos generally emphasizes purpose, proportionality, and the particular sensitivity of recordings in an employment context.
In practice, this means: Find out where images are to appear and state clearly if you do not wish to be recorded or published. Organizers can provide a clearly visible photography-free area and announce group photos. Employees should not post pictures of other people on private public accounts without asking, just because the atmosphere is relaxed.
Alcohol, respect and boundaries still apply
A company event remains connected to the employment relationship, even if it takes place outside of working hours. Severe insults, assaults, or sexual harassment therefore do not lose their significance. The Office for Equal Treatment states that employers must provide appropriate remedies and prevent further incidents when harassment occurs in the workplace.
Alcohol is no excuse for crossing boundaries. People who are driving, taking on safety-critical tasks, taking medication, or simply don't want to drink do not need to justify themselves. Good organization provides non-alcoholic drinks, a safe ride home, and clear points of contact.
Those affected should make notes as soon as possible and seek support from the works council, staff representation, the Chamber of Labour, a trade union, or the Equal Treatment Ombudsperson. For supervisors: do not trivialize complaints as 'being in a festive mood', but protect, document, and act.
How to ask without needlessly souring the mood
A factual follow-up question is neither a refusal nor a vote of no confidence. It also helps organizers identify gaps in the invitation. Phrase it briefly, concretely, and without legal threats:
"Thank you for the invitation to the company outing. To help me plan the day reliably, I would appreciate some brief information: What time frame is recorded as working hours, is the dinner optional, and how are travel to and from the event arranged? If I am unable to participate in the program, I will be available for work during my agreed working hours."
Part-time employees can supplement their specific working hours. Those with caregiving responsibilities or health restrictions do not need to disclose more private details than necessary. It is usually sufficient to state a time-related or physical limitation and ask for an equivalent alternative.
If the answer remains unclear, collect the invitation, duty roster, and response in one place. Check with the works council or the Chamber of Labour before staying away on your own authority, booking vacation, or accepting additional hours as a matter of course. This turns a vague expectation into a verifiable agreement.
Decision matrix for four typical scenarios
| Situation | Basic classification | Clarify in advance |
|---|---|---|
| Excursion entirely within scheduled working hours | This time generally counts as working time. | Alternative work if not participating, time tracking, and costs. |
| Official program until the end of duty, followed by an optional meal. | Program paid during duty hours; voluntary extension is usually considered free time. | Clear official end time and return trip. |
| Evening event after work. | Generally voluntary and unpaid. | Participant contribution, travel home, photos, and care responsibilities. |
| Mandatory team program on a day off. | Do not treat it as mere leisure; a specific employment-law classification is required. | Clarify the assignment, purpose, working hours, overtime, rest periods, and costs in writing. |
Three practical examples
The part-time employee with a free afternoon
An employee works on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The outing lasts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The first three hours clearly fall within her work schedule. For the time after that, it should be clarified in advance whether participation remains voluntary or additional working time is expected. A blanket full-time credit for everyone is no more self-evident than the assumption that part-time employees must remain unpaid for the whole day.
The closed workplace in case of non-participation
An employee does not want to join the trip, but the site remains closed. He declares in writing that he is ready to work at the agreed time and requests a task or a clear arrangement. Vacation or time off in lieu will not be recorded automatically but must be agreed. This creates a comprehensible situation instead of a later discussion about negative hours.
The optional dinner after the climbing park
The official program ends at 4 p.m.; afterwards part of the team goes out to eat. This cutoff is important for insured company-related coverage and for determining working time. Organizers should clearly communicate the end time, return trip and any private follow-up. Employees decide freely whether to stay.
Checklist: These ten points should be included in a good invitation
- Date, meeting point and official start
- Official end and voluntary extension
- Mandatory or voluntary participation
- Rules for non-participants
- Time tracking for full-time and part-time
- Arrival, return travel, and expense reimbursement
- Program, physical requirements, and alternatives
- Emergency contact and safety information
- Use and publication of photos
- Personal contributions, cancellations and special needs
Anyone who needs health limitations, pregnancy, disability, caregiving duties or religious or personal boundaries to be accommodated should be able to request an alternative early on. A good team event strengthens collaboration not through pressure, but through inclusive planning.
FAQ about company outings in Austria
Can I refuse a company outing?
Participation is generally voluntary outside working hours. If the event falls within your working time, you can, according to the AK, refuse a company celebration, but you will generally then be required to work. Clarify the specific alternative in advance.
Do I get overtime if the event lasts longer?
Not automatically. Voluntarily continuing after the regular end of working hours is generally considered personal time. If mandatory work duties are assigned afterwards, that time must be assessed separately.
Can the employer deduct a vacation day if I cancel?
Time off is a matter for agreement and generally cannot be imposed unilaterally. State your willingness to work and request a clear arrangement if the business remains closed.
Am I insured during a sporting activity?
For a company outing organized and paid for by the employer, statutory accident insurance coverage may apply. The specific activity, the work-related context and how the event unfolds are decisive. Risky private side activities should not be mixed into the official program.
Do I have to justify choosing non-alcoholic drinks?
No. No one has to drink alcohol. A safe journey home, medication, health reasons, or a personal decision are each sufficient reasons, and you do not have to disclose details.
Conclusion: A good atmosphere starts with clear rules
At the Company outing and working time in AustriaThe specific framework determines: the duty roster, voluntariness, official program, travel and company organization. An event during working hours is treated differently than a voluntary evening after the end of the working day.
Before confirming, check at minimum the start time, end time, timekeeping, costs, and an alternative for non‑participation. If these five points are clearly documented in writing, there is more room for the real purpose: a joint day that strengthens collaboration without postponing employment‑law questions until the next morning.
