Sanctions increased

AMS blocked unemployment benefits 164,400 times in 2024

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

The Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) imposed more unemployment benefit sanctions last year than in 2023. Specifically, the number of sanctions rose by around 4.8 percent to 162,435, as announced by the AMS. 

The increase is due to rising unemployment figures and the unchanged behavior of unemployment benefit recipients. At the end of December 2024, 426,012 people were looking for a job, 27,007 more than at the end of 2023.

Skipping training courses is also sanctioned
According to the AMS, there were just over 44,200 sanctions in 2024 due to "daily absence from training" (Section 10 of the Unemployment Insurance Act/AlVG) - an increase of around 11.1 percent compared to 2023. Over 34,100 sanctions (up 5.6 percent) resulted from "refusal or obstruction of work/training" - also in accordance with Section 10.

Sanctions mostly for "missing" an AMS appointment
By far the most sanctions, around 52,600, were imposed by the AMS for "missing" an AMS appointment without an excuse in accordance with Section 49. The increase here was almost 5.6 percent compared to 2023. Meanwhile, sanctions due to "refusals/hiring due to unwillingness to work" (Section 9) almost doubled to 1,480 suspensions.

There were just under 30,000 cases of a waiting period for unemployment benefit due to self-inflicted termination of employment - a decrease of 6.7 percent. According to the AMS, fewer self-terminations are a sign of poorer economic development.