Working abroad on vacation and conquering the world, but is it even legal? Every country has its own laws, and so does Austria. But what are you actually allowed to do with your time off, or should you rather spend it as a stay-at-home "staycationer" on your own balcony? Anyone who is chronically short of cash will use vacation as an opportunity to make a few bucks. Many companies don't like it when their employees are no longer on track professionally. They're cheating on their job, so to speak, and their mind is no longer on the work. So good advice is hard to come by if you want to avoid getting into legal trouble.

working abroad on vacation

Working Abroad on Vacation - What Is Allowed and What Isn't

Many people earn a little extra on vacation and combine the useful with the pleasant. There is no precise or strict legal framework, though. So it depends largely on the boss in question. The key is to be honest and ask, because the best days of the year are meant for rest. Working abroad on vacation is supposed to serve the purpose of the vacation. And if you show up worn out with dark circles under your eyes, the boss sees red. This is what the federal law provides:

  • Vacation is for rest and leisure
  • Vacation is not for side work
  • There must be no gainful employment during vacation
  • Your boss or company must be informed

If you simply decide for yourself, you can end up in hot water. Companies depend on hardworking employees and count on them. Anyone who turns their vacation into a second income is neither loyal nor fair, because they're profiting from working abroad on vacation.

Working Abroad on Vacation - Was It Done on Purpose?

Working abroad on vacation can also be deliberate. For example, if you take time off for exactly that purpose, perhaps because you accept a trade-fair job or drive a group of tourists around. In that case it is gainful employment, and behind your boss's back at that. That means you are acting deliberately and putting your permanent job at risk.

It's different if you help a farmer with the grape harvest or fill in as an entertainer. Then it isn't deliberate; you're simply stepping in. The gainful activity must therefore not jeopardize the purpose of the vacation. In most cases, though, that is exactly what happens, since some employees literally wear themselves out to boost their finances.

Working Abroad on Vacation - Your Conscience Decides

If you take on work abroad during your vacation, some employers may respond with dismissal. Small favors for small money, on the other hand, are allowed, because leisure value should come first. Otherwise companies can even demand compensation for damages, and a formal warning lands in your mailbox. After all, employment contracts that regulate work and vacation exist for a reason.

If you want to stay loyal to your company, honesty still lasts the longest. So put your cards on the table and explain your request to your boss. Then he knows what's going on and can decide about the work during your vacation. Because working on vacation should never be the rule.