Fundamental Rights Section
first sentence of Art. 30j Par. 2 of the 1967 Family Allowance Act as being unconstitutional.
2.3.1.2
Non-consideration of multiple births within the framework of childcareallowance funds
th
In its 26 Report to the National Council and National Council, the AOB demonstrated
in its Fundamental Rights section that, in terms of equality law, it is not clear why it should
be factually justified that child allowances are to be paid out only singly in a case of twins
and/or progeny of a multiple birth, thus treating a multiple birth equivalent with a single
birth. It is to be noted in this connection that the legislature supported this critique in the
year under review by passing Art. 3a of the Childcare Allowance Act [Kinderbetreuungsgeldgesetz], stipulating that, in a case of multiple birth, the childcare allowance
for the second and every other child increases by 50% of the sum set out in Art. 3 Par. 1
leg. cit.
2.3.1.2.1
Witnesses’ entitlement to refund of their expenditures
(VA BD/201-V/02)
According to Art. 51a and d of the 1991 AVG Act, only those witnesses and other parties
involved who are heard for purposes of gathering evidence in independent administrative
appellate court proceedings or who are not heard in such proceedings through no fault of
their own, are entitled to fees in accordance with Art. 2 Par. 3 and Art. 3 through 18 of the
1975 Fee Entitlement Act [Gebührenanspruchsgesetz]. The fact that there are no similar
regulations regarding proceedings before all other administrative authorities means that
witnesses heard in these proceedings have no entitlement to a refund of their expenditures.
According to invariable jurisdiction at the Constitutional Court of Justice, the principle of
equality prohibits the judicature from making any differentiation’s other than those, which
can be factually substantiated. Therefore, legal differentiation's are only in line with the
Federal Constitution if they can be justified by actual differences in the established facts
and circumstances. In light of this jurisdiction, it seems unconstitutional to make the entitlements of witnesses and other parties involved to a fee contingent upon whether they
have been heard before an independent appellate court or another administrative authority.
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