KOSTELKA: NO COERCION TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OF 2011 MODULE OF POPULATION MICRO-CENSUS SURVEY

Mr. N. N. appealed to the Ombudsman Board complaining about his questioning in connection with the 2011 population survey. The key point concerned the fact, that there is no legal basis compelling him to answer the questions posed in the form of the 2011 module "employment of persons with impairments to health".

After conducting an in-depth analysis of the legal situation as it stood according to national and European Union law, the Ombudsman Board recognised the complaint as justified and contacted Statistics Austria in the course of the investigation procedure.

The Director General of Statistics Austria promptly reacted and ordered an amendment of the notification letter for the conducting of the micro-census survey. Thus, the latter now clearly states that answers to the questions posed in the framework of the 2011 module "employment of persons with impairments to health" are given on a voluntary basis. It is, thereby, ensured that the survey is conducted in accordance with the law.