-
Audit of annual and consolidated financial statements
We place particular emphasis on customized solutions and international service and adapt our services to your needs.
-
Assurance related advisory services
Assurance related advisory services are based on the knowledge and expertise that are the staff of life of our auditors.
-
Global audit technology
We apply our global audit methodology through an integrated set of software tools known as the Voyager suite.
-
Accounting related consulting
Accounting in accordance with UGB, US-GAAP or IFRS is in constant motion. The integration of new regulations into their own accounting systems poses special challenges for companies.
-
Corporate Tax
We are your problem solvers for corporate tax issues
-
Restructuring, Mergers & Acquisition
Expertise and creativity for the perfect structure
-
International Tax
We are here, whenever our clients require our assistance
-
Transfer pricing
We are your experts for an optimal transfer pricing structure
-
Indirect Tax & Customs
We take care of your indirect taxes so you can take care of your business
-
Private Wealth
We are your competent partner in the field of Private Wealth Tax Services
-
Real Estate Tax
We are a valuable partner at every stage of your property's life
-
Global Mobility Services
Local roots and global networking as a secret for successful assignment management
-
Advisor for Advisor
As advisors for advisors, we support in complex situations
-
Bookkeeping & Financial accounting
Financial accounting is the basis for many decisions in the company. Only those who prepare their figures clearly and get a good overview of their company can recognize weak points in time and react to negative developments. The use of state-of-the-art software (BMD) allows you to access your figures at any time. Digital document management and a document management system for data archiving are a matter of course. We take care of your financial accounting.
-
Preparation of annual & consolidated financial statements
Depending on the size of your company and the legal form chosen, you are obliged to prepare annual financial statements. In addition, shareholders, owners and management want to be provided with financial information on a regular basis. We support you in fulfilling your recording obligations and thus ensure that you present companies, the bank and other addressees with meaningful and reliable figures.
-
Payroll Services
Payroll services are among the subject areas that are changing rapidly and constantly gaining in complexity. This is where tax law, social security law, labour law, residence law and other legal matters come together. Our experts will help your team to stay up-to-date and solve complex issues. But we are also happy to take care of your entire payroll accounting.
-
Tax Compliance
Tax authorities keep entrepreneurs and freelancers constantly engaged with tax issues, so they play a central role in almost every business decision. Depending on your needs, our services range from the preparation of tax returns, the execution of tax calculations with a thorough review of the data as a basis for assessment, to international tax compliance for several countries.
-
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a software-based technology that mimics a series of activities within and between systems based on a set of instructions typically to complete a process.
-
Valuation
Valuations are a core competence of Grant Thornton Austria. As auditors and tax advisors we combine profound know-how with our practical experience to offer you customized solutions for your valuation assignment. Our industry expertise is based on years of services to our clients, including listed companies as well as owner-managed companies with an international focus. We advise on valuation matters related to arbitration and provide expert opinions.
-
Forensic Services
When it comes to risks in business, our experts are on hand. We support you not only in suspicious cases or in disputes, but also develop suitable strategies in the area of prevention to avoid serious cases as far as possible. Our Cyber Security team helps you to keep your networks and applications secure and is quickly on hand in the event of a security leak.
-
Transaction Support
We can support you throughout the transaction process – helping achieve the best possible outcome at the point of the transaction and in the longer term.
-
Sustainability Services
Sustainability is no longer a trend, but the only way to create a future worth living. Our experts will support you in successfully developing your sustainability strategy and preparing your sustainability reporting in compliance with regulations.
-
Merger & Acquisition
Companies start new activities and separate from old ones, cooperate and merge. Markets and competitive conditions are subject to constant and increasingly rapid change. As a result, existing business models are changing. Some companies have to restructure and reorganize. But new business opportunities also open up.
-
Restructuring & Going Concern Forecast
Restructuring & Going Concern Forecast: Bundled services for your strategic, operational and financial decisions offer the right answers for companies, banks, shareholders and investors.
-
Internal Audit
Internal Audit helps companies and organisations to achieve their goals by analysing and evaluating the effectiveness of risk management, controls and management and monitoring processes. Internal Audit focuses on independent and objective audit (assurance) and consulting services that improve the value creation and business activities of your company.
-
Expert dispute resolution & advisory
Grant Thornton Austria offers comprehensive services in the field of business-oriented expert services with a broad range of competencies from banking to communication. The core activity of experts is the objective recording of findings and the preparation of expert opinions - regardless of all external circumstances. Our experts Gottwald Kranebitter and Georg H. Jeitler, as sworn and court-certified experts, ensure that the highest professional standards and the principle of objectivity are observed.
-
Blockchain and Crypto-Asset
Blockchain as a carrier technology for crypto currencies and smart contracts, among other things, is becoming increasingly important. Grant Thornton Austria offers comprehensive audit and confirmation services for block chain technologies and business models.
-
Corporate & Brand Strategy
We support you in developing growth strategies for a sustainably successful future and in maximizing the potential of your brand.
-
Cyber Security
Cyber incidents, IT system failures, the resulting business interruptions and the loss of critical data are one of the greatest business risks for companies. Recent cases underline the need for strategic protection and awareness of the issue and require a holistic approach and technical expertise that takes into account all legislative, regulatory and technical aspects of cyber security to protect companies against the daily increase in cybercrime incidents.
-
International Project Coordination
Our International Engagement Management team is your central point of contact for international projects in all our service lines. We take care of operational project management for you and act as a central point of contact and coordination for your projects. We support companies that start international projects from Austria as well as companies from abroad that want to gain a foothold in Austria or use Austria as a hub for their international projects, especially in the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and CEE region.
-
International Desks
As a member of the Grant Thornton network, we guarantee direct access to resources from our worldwide circle of partners. This global connection enables us to seamlessly integrate highly qualified specialists and industry experts from different countries around the world into our teams. Through our broad perspective and diverse expertise, we ensure that we can optimally meet the individual requirements of our clients in an increasingly globalised economy.
We have compiled some questions and answers about payroll and employment law for you.
Please find all information about fast-track aid for companies in this article
I. Obligations of employers
Even in this crisis, employers have a duty of care towards their employees. The employer is therefore obliged to take appropriate protective measures immediately in order to protect his employees from infection in the best possible way. These include:
- Easy access to disinfectants for employees with customer contact
- Adoption of hygiene recommendations
- Rescheduling/cancellation of business trips and meetings that are not necessary
II. Duties of the employees
Employees are still obliged to perform their work - the risk of a possible infection does not entitle employees to stay away from work without excuse.
This does not apply to employees who have an objectively justifiable risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus at work, as employees do not have to accept a health risk.
For example, if there has already been a confirmed case of infection with the COVID-19 virus in the immediate work environment and the employer has not yet taken enough countermeasures.
III. Are my employees allowed to work at home?
This possibility exists for employers if the employment contract already provides for the service to be provided in the home office. Then the employer can order work at home.
In the absence of this agreement, the transfer of the place of work to the home office must be expressly agreed between the employee and the employer. Due to the current situation, to avoid the formation of groups, it can be assumed that the employees must agree.
Our experts will be pleased to support you in formulating an appropriate agreement!
IV. Can I also give notice of termination in connection with short-time work?
Detailed information about short-time work
During the period of reduced working hours, the employer is obliged to maintain the employment status at the time of application. Notice of termination for operational reasons is only possible after the end of short-time work and the subsequent notice period.
Personal terminations are possible at any time, but the employer must then make a replacement recruitment in order to maintain the employment level.
Employees can terminate their employment themselves at any time - in this case and in the case of a termination by mutual consent, the substitute employment is not applicable.
According to the current status, the notice period for "Corona short-time working" is 1 month.
V. Compensation under the Epidemic Law
If the company is closed in accordance with Section 20 of the Epidemics Act, there is a claim to compensation for the resulting financial disadvantage (loss of earnings) in accordance with Section 32 (1) no. 5 of the Epidemics Act. If objects have been destroyed or damaged by official disinfection, the entrepreneur is also entitled to compensation.
The claim for compensation must be asserted within six weeks (§ 32 Epidemic Law) from the day the official measures were lifted at the district administrative authority in whose area these measures were taken, otherwise the claim expires. In Vienna, the processing of the compensation is carried out by the Department of Health Law of the MA 40.
Please note: the measures currently being taken by the Federal Government to temporarily close certain businesses (e.g. non-food trade) do not, as far as can be seen at the time of writing, trigger any such claims against the Federal Government.
VI. Special regulations for Vienna
In Vienna, the Vienna Employee Promotion Fund will be increased by € 3 million and offers Viennese employers various support options: from the establishment of a work foundation in the event of staff reductions to the qualification of employees in the context of further training-leave or part-time work.
VII. Deferral or instalment payment of social security contributions
The ÖGK is now looking to support the companies with some very important payment facilities in order to be able to cope with this emergency situation for the common interest of the Austrian economy.
Here are the current legal measures at a glance (National Council resolution of 20.03.2020):
The ÖGK will support companies with accomodations for payments:
- Deferrals for the contribution periods February, March and April 2020: For companies affected by the "Closure Ordinance" or a ban on entry under the Epidemic Law, contributions are automatically deferred. Other companies with corona-related liquidity problems can apply for deferral of contributions to the ÖGK. The informal application must include the corona-related problems and must be addressed to the respective regional service centre. For the duration of the deferral, no interest on arrears will be charged.
- Suspension of recovery measures in the months of March, April and May 2020: In these months there are generally no recovery measures such as execution requests etc.
- No insolvency applications will be filed.
- No default surcharges are prescribed for late notifications of contribution bases due to corona.
- Direct debits must be revoked by email or by phone at ÖGK - we will be happy to support you in this process and will provide the temporary revocation
- Direct debits that have already been made cannot be retransferred!
The ÖGK will make the submission of applications and accounting as unbureaucratic as possible. We will inform you about any changes. In this context, it is important to note that companies will not be disadvantaged if the relevant applications are not submitted immediately.
ATTENTION - Please note:
- The basic rules of payroll accounting remain in place.
- The legal due date of the contributions remains unchanged.
- Applications for compulsory insurance must still be submitted in due time before the start of work.
- The monthly basic contribution notifications must be sent to ÖGK on the usual dates.
ÖGK requests the companies to maintain their previous excellent reporting and payment morale as far as possible even in these exceptional times and thus continue to enable the functioning of the welfare state.
Employers can contact ÖGK's Employer Service Centre if they have any questions or need clarification.
Tax office - Accomodation of payments
The payment of a levy can be postponed (deferral) or payment in instalments can be agreed - this also includes wage tax and all non-wage labour costs. Please contact your personal advisor to apply for the accomodation of payments.
Our experts Judith Schützinger, Julia Saric-Bischof and Christoph Schmidl will be pleased to discuss your options – feel free to give them a call.