The Vienna Chamber of Commerce (WKW) is not at all happy with the end of the Corona quarantine arrangement. As a result, you see yourself confronted with enormous additional costs, explains WKW boss Walter Ruck – the government is now shifting costs and responsibility to the companies, according to the critics. The situation will deteriorate, especially from autumn.
“This provision has not been thought through to the end,” Ruck said in the Ö1 “Tomorrow Journal” with the political decision harsh. Reason for the excitement: With quarantine ending on Monday, corona cases should be treated like any other sick leave.
State abstains from its duty
And in doing so, the state releases itself from its obligation, because “until now, the continued payment of wages that the employer has to pay for an employee in the event of illness has been reimbursed by the republic,” explains Ruck. The basis for this was the legally required separation, namely quarantine.
“If that now disappears and employees still go on sick leave – which will happen – then this refund will also expire,” says the head of the Chamber of Commerce, concerned about the impending avalanche of costs.
100 million extra costs – only in Vienna
If you look at the first quarter of this year, Viennese companies would have had to pay about 91 million euros in continued wage payments, Ruck calculated. Extrapolated to the year, this even amounts to 360 million euros.
With the prospect of the autumn wave expected by experts, the chamber expects additional costs of around 100 million euros this year in Vienna alone due to corona-related absenteeism. In view of the additional burdens such as inflation, the energy crisis and the shortage of skilled workers, this is fatal.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
