Dispute over overtime

Fire chief against the city of Salzburg in the courtroom

Fire Director Reinhold Ortler

(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

A burning issue: Salzburg's fire chief, Reinhold Ortler, sat opposite his employer, the city, in the provincial administrative court on Tuesday. The city owes him a special payment for missing rest periods since 2003 and his health is suffering as a result. It will take some time before the verdict is reached. 

It is not about the money, but about his ailing health. Reinhold Ortler described his situation to the judge at the Provincial Administrative Court on Tuesday morning. He had had far too few rest periods since 2003. Too often he had switched from full-time duty to normal duty. The records he presented to the court were extremely accurate. 

The fire director, a civil servant at Salzburg City Council, demanded the special payments from the official authorities. The authority promptly issued him with a rejection notice. The 57-year-old is now taking legal action against this at the regional administrative court. Ortler did not return a call from the "Krone".

Mayor Auinger: "Appreciates Ortler very much!"
 Mayor Bernhard Auinger says that he first heard about this case in a personal conversation with Ortler after he was elected mayor. Auinger continued: "This procedure had been in place with my predecessors long before my term of office and it is a shame that no solution was found on their part." The head of the fire department had achieved a great deal, including within the framework of all legally compliant working hours. Auinger continues: "I hold him in high esteem, the fire department is in a better position than almost any other fire department in other cities."

New fire director wanted: Salary from 8249 euros gross.
The judge at the regional administrative court has now given the two parties to the dispute a 14-day period to submit further written statements. After that, the court has six months to decide on the case - the verdict will be in writing. The municipal authorities confirm that Ortler submitted an application for payment of overtime in February 2021. In March 2023, Ortler filed an appeal against the service authority's negative decision. The city is confident that it acted in accordance with the law. It is also confirmed that Ortler is applying for retirement - a successor is already being sought: starting salary from 8249 gross.