Currently, draft legislation under review could significantly change contracts with quasi-freelancers in Austria. The bill aims to create a better balance between flexibility and social security. In particular, new provisions governing the termination of contracts as well as the potential inclusion of quasi-freelancers in the scope of collective agreements are planned. It remains to be seen how the draft is going to be implemented in concrete terms.

Notice periods

According to the bill, a period of notice of four weeks as per the 15th day of the month or as per the end of the month is to apply to contracts with quasi-freelancers from 2026, with such notice period increasing to six weeks in the second year of the contract term. There should also be an option of agreeing on a probationary period for the first month.

These provisions cannot be waived or restricted in quasi-freelance contracts. According to the draft law, the new termination rules will apply to quasi-freelance contracts newly concluded on or after 01 January 2026. The new rules will not affect the existing contractual provisions on termination in current quasi-freelance contracts.

Inclusion in collective agreements

The draft law provides that, as from January 2026, it should be possible to include quasi-freelancers in the scope of collective agreements. This can be done through separate collective agreements concluded specifically for this group of persons or by expressly including them in the scope of existing collective agreements.

According to the bill, the scope of current collective agreements is to remain unchanged. There will be no automatic extension to quasi-freelancers. Inclusion is to be effective only if expressly agreed by the parties to the collective agreement. The law does not create an obligation to consider quasi-freelancers in collective agreements.

If you have any questions about the planned regulations for quasi-freelance contracts, please do not hesitate to contact the KWR Employment Law team.