Labor & Employment World Cup: Austria, the Netherlands, and Missouri on Types of Leave

Kickoff: Getting to Know the Austrian National Team

Historically, Austria was famous for the elegant “Wunderteam” of the 1930s, which emphasized technical skill, creativity, and attacking football. Austria’s proudest FIFA World Cup moment remains its remarkable run at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, where it finished in third place—the best result in the nation’s history. After reaching the semifinals, Austria beat Uruguay 3–1 in the third-place match to claim the bronze medal.

Austria entered the 2026 tournament with two major goals. The first was to end a 28-year World Cup absence, having last appeared on football’s biggest stage in 1998. This is a milestone the team has already achieved. The second is to reach the knockout rounds for the first time since the tournament adopted its modern knockout format. In both 1990 and 1998, under this format, Austria did not advance beyond the group phase. A 3–1 victory over Jordan in its opening match put Austria in a strong position early in Group J, and while a subsequent loss to Argentina provided a reminder of the challenges at this tournament, Austria remains in the race for a knockout-stage berth. Reaching the next round would mark a significant achievement for a team seeking its most successful World Cup campaign in more than 70 years.

Austria’s football identity is built on fearless, high-energy pressing and strong team spirit, making the team one of Europe’s most intriguing dark-horse contenders.

Kickoff Continues: Getting to Know the Netherlands National Team 

The Netherlands national team has long been associated with an attractive, intelligent, and technically refined style of play. Since the rise of “Total Football” in the 1970s (i.e., a tactical philosophy in which players interchange positions while maintaining the team’s overall structure), Dutch football has earned a reputation for tactical innovation, positional flexibility, and confident possession-based play. The national team is often expected not only to compete, but to do so with a recognizable identity: proactive, disciplined, creative, and ambitious. Although the team has evolved across generations, that broader footballing philosophy remains central to how the Netherlands is viewed internationally.

Dutch fan culture is equally distinctive. The Oranje (Orange) identity transforms major international tournaments into national celebrations, with supporters dressed in bright orange and filling streets, squares, and stadiums with energy and humor. Although the Netherlands has experienced both memorable highs and painful near misses on the world stage, that history has only strengthened the emotional connection between the team and its supporters. For many Dutch fans, major tournaments are not just about results; they are also about national pride, collective excitement, and the hope that the next generation will add a new chapter to the country’s rich football tradition. World Cup spectators in the United States have already had a glimpse of that passion during the Netherlands’ group-stage match in Houston, where Dutch supporters brought their famous “From left to right” (Van links naar rechts) celebration to the streets and stands, creating the kind of atmosphere that has become synonymous with Oranje fan culture.

Homefield Advantage: Introducing Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City is one of the most passionate sports cities in the United States and is no stranger to turning major sporting events into citywide celebrations. From repeated Super Bowl victory parades for their American football team, the Chiefs, to the Royals’ 2015 World Series celebration, the city has a long history of welcoming fans and visitors. The FIFA World Cup provides another opportunity for Kansas City to showcase that enthusiasm on a global stage.   

Kansas City’s hospitality will also be on full display at the FIFA Fan Festival, locally known as “Fan Fest,” hosted at the World War I Museum and Memorial. Free general admission and easy transportation to all the game-day events are designed to help international visitors navigate the city and enjoy the tournament experience. Visitors should not be surprised if conversations start easily, as Kansas City’s reputation for friendliness is well earned. 

Soccer supporters are especially enthusiastic thanks to the city’s longstanding connection to the sport through Sporting Kansas City and the Kansas City Current. Sporting Kansas City has been part of Major League Soccer since the league’s early days, while the Current (the city’s National Women’s Soccer team) plays in the first stadium in the world built specifically for a women’s professional sports team. The Current recently made National Women’s Soccer League history by selling out every home match across multiple regular seasons, reflecting the city’s strong support for the sport. 

The pride Kansas Citians have for their city extends beyond the celebration of their sports teams. Out and about you will see many people wearing “KC” shirts and hats, reflecting residents’ strong connection to the community. Many residents grew up in Kansas or Missouri and have chosen to remain close to home while enjoying the city’s entertainment districts, museums, concerts, and cultural events. Others have moved here, found themselves amongst some of the friendliest people they have ever met, and wondered why they would ever leave. 

Visitors coming to Kansas City for the World Cup are sure to leave with memories of unforgettable game days, exceptional barbecue, and a city whose people are already looking forward to their return. 

The Rulebook: Leave Entitlements and Employee Support

Missouri

As employers continue to navigate an expanding array of leave entitlements, an increasing number of jurisdictions have expanded traditional medical, family, and parental leave frameworks to provide protections for employees facing other significant life events. Missouri joined that trend with the enactment of the Victims Economic Safety and Security Act (VESSA) in 2021, which requires employers with more than 20 employees to provide leave and workplace accommodations for employees impacted by domestic or sexual violence. 

Unlike traditional leave laws focused on an employee’s own medical condition or caregiving responsibilities, VESSA recognizes that employees affected by domestic or sexual violence may need time away from work to address safety, legal, medical, and housing-related concerns. Eligible employees may use leave to obtain medical care, counseling, and victim services, engage in safety planning or relocation to safer housing, and pursue legal remedies. Importantly, employees may take leave not only for their own circumstances but also to assist qualifying family or household members. Employees are generally required to provide at least 48 hours’ advance notice of the need for leave where practicable. 

The amount of leave available to employees depends on the size of the employer. Employers with 20 to 49 employees must provide up to one workweek of unpaid leave during a 12-month period, while employers with 50 or more employees must provide up to two workweeks of unpaid leave. Employees may use the leave intermittently, and those returning from leave generally must be restored to the same or an equivalent position. 

Missouri’s law extends beyond leave obligations. Covered employers must also provide reasonable safety accommodations, absent undue hardship. These accommodations may include schedule modifications, transfers, reassignments, changed work locations or seating assignments, workplace safety measures, or other adjustments designed to enhance the employee’s safety and ability to remain employed. The law also includes confidentiality requirements intended to protect sensitive information provided by employees seeking leave or accommodations. 

For employers, VESSA reflects a broader trend toward workplace protections that address issues beyond traditional medical and family leave. Compliance requires coordination among human resources, leave administrators, workplace safety personnel, and management to ensure that requests are handled appropriately and confidentially. Employers should also ensure that managers are trained to recognize and appropriately escalate VESSA-related requests, and that employment decisions involving affected employees are carefully reviewed. As states continue to expand the circumstances under which employees may be entitled to protected leave and accommodations, employers increasingly must consider not only how much leave is available, but also the various reasons employees may be entitled to use it.

Austria

In Austria, employers typically manage employee absences through a well-established range of statutory leave entitlements. These include paid annual leave (generally five weeks per year, increasing with length of service), sick leave for employees who are medically unable to work, parental leave (Elternkarenz) following the birth or adoption of a child, and care-related leave designed to support employees with family responsibilities.

Among these protections are Pflegefreistellung (care leave), which allows employees to care for sick children or close relatives, and Pflegekarenz or Pflegeteilzeit (caregiver leave), which can provide extended time away from work or reduced working hours to care for a dependent family member. Together, these statutory leave categories reflect Austria’s longstanding emphasis on balancing work and family obligations.

In addition, Austrian law provides a general right to time off from work—paid by the employer for up to one week—when important personal circumstances prevent an employee from working. While Austria does not have a dedicated domestic violence leave entitlement comparable to Missouri’s VESSA law, situations covered by that law could, depending on the circumstances, fall within this broader category of protected absence.

Many Austrian employers, particularly larger organizations, increasingly view leave policies as part of broader employee wellbeing, engagement, and retention strategies. As a result, support for employees facing personal crises often extends beyond minimum statutory requirements. Depending on the circumstances, employers may provide flexible work arrangements, special paid leave available under collective bargaining agreements, employee assistance programs, remote work options, or other individualized support. The specific support available frequently depends on the applicable collective bargaining agreement, company policies, and the employee’s individual circumstances.

For employers, the Austrian approach highlights how a combination of statutory leave entitlements, workplace flexibility, and employer support measures can help address personal and family challenges, even where the law does not create a standalone leave entitlement for a particular circumstance. 

The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, employees may rely on several statutory leave entitlements when facing personal, family-related, or health-related challenges. Dutch law provides for various types of leave, including holiday leave, maternity and partner leave, parental leave, care leave, and emergency leave. These arrangements are largely governed by the Dutch Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg) and are intended to help employees balance work with significant life events or urgent personal circumstances. 

For employees with family responsibilities, parental leave and birth-related leave can be particularly important. Maternity leave, partner leave, additional birth leave, and parental leave allow employees to take time away from work around the birth or care of a child. Depending on the type of leave, employees may be entitled to continued salary payments, statutory benefits, or unpaid leave. These rights reflect the Dutch legal framework’s broader emphasis on supporting employees in balancing work and caregiving responsibilities.

Employees may also use short-term or long-term care leave when they need to care for a sick child, partner, parent, or other close relative. Short-term care leave is generally intended for necessary care in acute or temporary situations, while long-term care leave may apply where a close relative is seriously ill or requires more sustained support. In addition, emergency leave or short absence leave may be available for sudden and urgent situations, such as an unexpected family emergency or another unavoidable personal obligation. These leave entitlements help employees address significant personal and family circumstances while maintaining their connection to the workplace. 

From the employer’s perspective, leave requests should be handled carefully, consistently, and in line with Dutch statutory requirements and internal policies. Employers may request reasonable information to assess whether a particular leave entitlement applies, but they should avoid unnecessary intrusion into an employee’s private life. A clear written process can help prevent disputes by documenting the type of leave requested, its anticipated duration, whether it is paid or unpaid, and any operational considerations. Where a request creates serious business difficulties, the employer should assess whether reasonable alternatives are available before refusing or limiting the leave. Proper documentation is also important, particularly where later employment decisions could be challenged as discriminatory, retaliatory, or unfair treatment connected to an employee’s lawful use of leave rights.

On the Global Field: Closing Thoughts

Through their leave entitlements, Missouri, Austria, and the Netherlands seek to address the realities employees face outside the workplace. Whether through Missouri’s dedicated protections for employees affected by domestic or sexual violence, Austria’s broad network of statutory leave entitlements and workplace support measures, or the Netherlands’ family- and care-related leave rights, employers across the globe are increasingly expected to respond thoughtfully to significant personal and family challenges. 

* Katherine Plummer-Reed is a Summer Associate in Littler’s Kansas City office.