FAQs

In case of unsolicited applications by registered disabled persons, the employment initiative enable:univie supports their search for a suitable job at the University of Vienna.

Health impairments/disability in a professional context is a complex issue that many people working at the University of Vienna have questions about – regardless of whether they are disabled or not. While enable:univie does not have the resources to answer all these questions, we created this FAQ to provide some basic information.

Along with the Federal Disability Act (Bundesbehindertengesetz) and the Federal Disability Equality Act (Bundes-Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz), the Disability Employment Act (Behinderteneinstellungsgesetz) forms the legal basis for disability law.

Further information is available on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Persons with disabilities can apply for an official decision stating their degree of disability. This decision is based on an evaluation by official medical examiners and can take several months. In case of a disability degree of at least 50 percent, the person has claim to special support and obtains the status of “registered disabled person” (“begünstigt behindert”). The decision on the claim to special support lies with the Ministry of Social Affairs and is called “Feststellungsbescheid” in German.

Further information is available on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs (German only).

Persons with a degree of disability of at least 50 percent can apply for an official decision (“Bescheid”) stating (“Feststellung”) that they are disabled persons receiving special support in accordance with the Disability Employment Act. Without this “Feststellungsbescheid”, potential employees cannot participate in the University’s employment initiative.

Further information on the Disability Identity Card, special support and the Feststellungsbescheid is available on the website of the Service Agency of the Ministry of Social Affairs (German only).

The Disability Identity Card is an official photo ID card which is considered proof of a disability. Other possible translations of “Behindertenpass” are “disability pass” or “disabled person’s pass”. Persons holding a Disability Identity Card are not automatically recipients of special support as stipulated in the Disability Employment Act. Even with a Disability Identity Card, they have to apply for the official decision (“Feststellungsbescheid”) on their degree of disability and, consequently, their claim to special support.

Further information is available on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Questions related to your employment at the University of Vienna are to be discussed with your direct supervisor and your organisational unit’s management (faculty or service unit).

In case of a certain number of registered disabled persons working at an institution, these persons are legally required to elect one or more Representatives of Disabled Staff (Behindertenvertrauenspersonen). These Representatives are tasked with advocating the economic, social, health-related and cultural interests of registered disabled employees.

At the University of Vienna, there are Representatives for academic and non-academic disabled staff.

Further information on the Representatives of Disabled Staff (German only).

Employed persons with a care allowance level of at least 3 or a disability degree of at least 50 percent can apply for personal assistance at the workplace, provided that they would not be able to do the work alone due to their impairment. However, personal assistance is only justified if technology cannot provide the assistance that is needed.

In Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, you can turn to WAG to organise personal assistance at the workplace.

Further information and contact details are available on the websites of WAG and of the Service Agency of the Ministry of Social Affairs (German only).

In order to facilitate employment and secure jobs, there are different allowances and workplace-related subsidies. The conditions for financial support can differ according to the type of allowance or subsidy. Which is why the amount of financial support granted has to be calculated individually for each case.

Some information related to financial support is available on the websites of the Service Agency of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) or the Fonds Soziales Wien (applies if the person is NOT a registered disabled person) (all German only).

All support services of NEBA can be used free of charge – by disabled persons as well as employers.

Further information on NEBA (German only).