The Equal Opportunities Committee’s duties and rights arise from the

Federal Equal Treatment Act

Information

The EOC is to be notified by the <link https: www.wu.ac.at en the-university organizational-structure university-management rectors-council>Rector’s Council on all internal university matters and is to be granted access to all documents and electronic data relating to WU personnel, knowledge of which is necessary for the exercise of its duties.

Concerning personnel matters, the EOC is to be promptly and duly provided with all information concerning a decision affecting the conclusion, material amendment, or termination of an employment or training contract.

The Rector’s Council is to submit to the EOC all relevant and updated laws relevant for matters of equal treatment and the advancement of women, including also such deriving from labour and social law.

Participation in meetings

The EOC may participate in an advisory capacity in commission or committee meetings concerning personnel matters (e.g. appointment committees) or habilitations.

The EOC is a voting member of the WU’s evaluation committee concerning positions for general university staff.

The EOC’s chairperson may participate in <link https: www.wu.ac.at universitaet organisation universitaetsleitung senat>Senate and <link https: www.wu.ac.at en the-university organizational-structure university-management university-board>University Council meetings in an advisory capacity as far as matters of the EOC’s scope of activities are concerned.

Submission of complaints to the arbitration board

Should the EOC have reason to believe that a university governing body’s decision reflects discrimination on the grounds of an individual’s sex, ethnic origin, religion, belief, age, or sexual orientation, it may invoke the arbitration board within three weeks of the decision (§ 42 para. 8 Universities Act 2002).

Should the EOC submit a complaint to the arbitration board, the respective university governing body’s decision is to be impermissible until the arbitration board has ruled on the matter (§ 42 para. 9 Universities Act 2002).

The arbitration board is to decide within three months whether or not the decision by the university governing body constitutes discrimination on the grounds of sex, ethnic origin, religion, belief, age, or sexual orientation. Should the arbitration board find grounds for discrimination, the university governing body is obliged to make a new personnel decision having regard to the legal opinion of the board.

The EOC and the university governing body concerned may appeal to the Federal Administrative Court against the order concluding the arbitration procedure (§ 43 para. 7 Universities Act 2002).

Employment contracts concluded by the rector during a pending arbitration procedure or in the face of a negative ruling of the arbitration board are null and void.