Back in March, we reported on the effects of the new BaWiSo curriculum in one of our newsletter articles (BR-Info 02/2024). This time, we would like to provide an update on the situation and give an outlook for the coming winter semester with information on the most important labour law regulations relevant to teaching.

Following a presentation in the Senate in May, in which long waiting lists were still shown for some courses, additional courses for the current summer semester were planned at short notice. These extra places and the previously reported expansion of this year's summer university (“Sommeruniversität”) should further reduce the pressure on students.

The number of courses for the next winter semester was significantly increased during the planning phase. However, this has led to noticeable problems concerning teaching times and room availability for many teachers. This manifests itself above all in changes to the initially planned teaching times. Our last article focused on the teaching load regulations, which were most relevant in the planning phase. We only touched on the applicable rules on permissible teaching times and rest periods. This time, we would like to take a closer look at these and appeal to all managers, academic directors, and module coordinators to ensure that these requirements are adhered to in their areas of responsibility and actively support teachers.

Permitted teaching times/rest periods

Members of academic staff covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement for Universities (KV) are generally free to organise their working hours unless otherwise specified by the university for important official reasons. Even if teaching and examination activities can, in principle, be considered as such reasons, certain limits must still be observed. On the one hand, the basic rule applies that unilateral changes by the employer must be announced in good time, i.e. with at least two weeks' notice and that the employee's interests must always be considered. The latter, in particular, will usually mean that teaching can only take place on the agreed working days according to the official working hours agreement form. This is particularly relevant for part-time employees. According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, childcare obligations must also be considered when the employer determines working hours. In addition, teaching may only be entrusted by the employer from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 9 pm. Outside this time frame, teaching can only occur at the teacher’s request.

Additionally, rest periods must also be observed. Daily working hours may be up to 13 hours on individual days, and weekly working hours may be up to 60 hours in separate weeks, but no more than 48 hours on average may be worked per week within twelve months. On individual working days, a half-hour break must be taken after six hours at the latest. At the end of the working day, a rest period of at least eleven hours must be guaranteed. A reduction to eight hours is only possible if this reduction is compensated within the next two weeks, sufficient opportunities for rest, and no occupational health concerns exist. In addition, an average weekly rest period of at least 36 hours must be guaranteed between the individual working weeks.

Caring duties and teaching hours

According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, managers are expressly obliged to consider any childcare obligations of employees when distributing tasks and determining working hours. Further recommendations for improving family and work-life compatibility are set out in the WUPol "Family-Friendly Workplace Culture".

The Academic Staff Council considers this diligence in teaching planning and execution a core task of good leadership. As an employer, we also call on WU to actively ensure compliance within the centrally organised teaching room planning (regarding time and room allocation). This care must be based on more than the minimum legal requirements. It should also be comprehensively designed to avoid disproportionate workload situations (e.g., avoidance of repeated teaching at off-peak times and priority in planning for teachers with high teaching loads). If you have any questions or problems regarding room allocations or teaching times, please get in touch with the Academic Staff Council at wiss.betriebsrat@wu.ac.at. In this context, we are also grateful for suggestions on how the system of teaching room planning could be improved from the teachers' point of view.

^13.06.2024

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