Vienna starts occupational health pilot for teachers

Vienna’s education directorate is launching a three-year occupational health pilot for teachers at 11 schools with special educational challenges, ORF reported. The project will be evaluated to develop measures that could be introduced at other schools.

Nearly 17,000 teachers in Vienna’s compulsory schools currently lack occupational medical care, despite a legal obligation for the state of Vienna to provide it. The Vienna People’s Party (ÖVP) has criticised the gap, and education director Elisabeth Fuchs acknowledged that the issue needs to be addressed.

Occupational physician Alexander Grossbichler of the Samaritan Association said preventive care can identify workplace pressures before they lead to health problems and allow measures to be discussed with school leadership.

A union representative close to the ÖVP warned that the lack of support could contribute to longer and more frequent sick leave and exhaustion. The ÖVP is calling for occupational physicians to cover both physical and mental health.

A staff representative expressed doubts about the pilot, noting that Vienna has more than 500 compulsory-school locations and that previous pilot projects had sometimes ended after one or two years.