Austrian labor chamber wins €38,000 for woman fired during disability assessment
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In Kärnten, Austria, the Arbeiterkammer (AK) secured more than €38,000 for a woman who received a termination notice while applying for disability status.
The woman worked for a company for 14 years when she was unexpectedly fired in September 2025. While her application was pending, the Sozialministeriumservice initially denied her claim. She appealed this decision, keeping the process open at the time of her dismissal.
Months later, the Sozialministeriumservice determined she had a disability grade of 70 percent, recognizing her eligibility for benefits retroactively. Katharina Uran, head of the AK’s Völkermarkt district office, pointed out that this retroactive recognition should have made the termination ineffective, as disability status provides special employment protections. However, both the woman and her employer chose not to reinstate her employment. Instead, the AK negotiated a severance package of ten months’ salary, €38,300 gross, as a settlement.
After taxes, the woman received approximately €29,000 and now faces the challenge of finding work with a 70 percent disability and ongoing living expenses.
