Each state presents social benefits in a different way and for a different financial reward. Do you know what you are entitled to if you have a contract with a German employer?
Working overtime
Working hours are 8 hours per day. All days from Monday to Saturday shall be considered as a working day under the said law, Saturday also being considered as a working day. These working hours may be extended in exceptional circumstances to a maximum of 10 hours per day. This limit is fixed and may in no case be exceeded during weekday working hours (6 working days = maximum 60 hours). For overtime work, you will receive an extra 15-40% of your regular wage, depending on what is stipulated in your employment or collective agreement. By law, there is no entitlement to extra pay for overtime work. As a general rule, overtime hours may be deducted and compensated by compensatory time off.
Weekend work
Entitlement to the supplement for work There is no Sunday entitlement, only the entitlement to take time off.
Work at night
Entitlement to the supplement for work at night is up to 25% of the current minimum wage. It depends on your contract with your employer, as you are legally entitled to time off, not to be paid for working during night hours.
Holidays
Full entitlement to Leave after six months of service. For a 6-day working week, you are entitled to a minimum of 24 days’ leave, and for a 5-day working week, you are entitled to a minimum of 20 days’ leave. During the probationary period, the employee is entitled to 2 days of leave for each month worked or no leave at all, depending on the particular employer.
13. and 14th salary
It depends on the particular employer whether 13. a 14. plat vypláca. In general, however, full-time employment gives entitlement to 13th salary after six months’ service. Part-time is 13. a salary equal to an aliquot fraction of the hours worked. Payment 14. salary is not fixed. It is fixed for the holiday period and varies in amount.
Sick leave (sick leave)
In the event of sickness, the employee must inform the employer as soon as possible of his/her incapacity for work and its expected duration. In the event of sickness lasting more than 3 days, the employee must submit a medical certificate no later than the next working day. The employer pays 100% of the regular wage for the first 6 weeks, then the social security pays 70% of the wage. You cannot leave Germany for the duration of your sick leave without the consent of the health insurance company, so that you do not suffer financially. Otherwise you may lose your entitlement to benefits.
Family allowances
From 1. From 1 January 2018, you can apply for child benefit 6 months backwards from the month in which your application is accepted by the German authorities. You can apply for German family allowances up to 18. year of the child’s age, respectively. up to 25. year if he/she is a full-time student at a university.
The amount of family allowances varies depending on the age of the child:
- at 1. a 2. dieťa – 219€
- at 3. child – 225€
- at 4. and each additional child – 250€
Surcharges for public holidays
There is no holiday pay in Germany by law, as there is in principle a ban on working on public holidays. With the exception of certain professions, which include, for example, nannies. However, if it is written in the employment or collective agreement, employees are entitled to a 25% wage supplement. Public holidays in Germany are:
New Year – 1. January
Three Kings – 6. January (only in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt)
International Women’s Day – 8. March (Berlin only)
Good Friday (movable feast)
Easter Sunday (movable holiday and only in Brandenburg)
Easter Monday (movable holiday)
Labour Day – 1. May
Ascension of the Lord (movable holiday)
Palm Sunday (movable holiday and only in Brandenburg)
Whit Monday (movable holiday)
Corpus Christi (movable holiday and only in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and parts of Saxony and Thuringia)
Augsburg Peace Festival – 8. August (only in Augsburg, Bavaria)
Ascension of the Virgin Mary – 15. August (only in Saarland and parts of Bavaria)
World Children’s Day – 20. September (only in the region of Thuringia)
German Reunification Day – 3. October
Reformation Day – 31. October (only in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein)
All Saints – 1. November
Day of Repentance and Prayer – 21. November (Saarland only)
1st Christmas Day – 25. December
2nd Christmas Day – 26. December
Maternity/parental allowance
Parental leave gives both female and male employees the opportunity not only to care for a child, but also to work part-time. This way, they can devote themselves to their child while keeping up with their working life. Each parent is entitled to parental leave until the child reaches the age of 3. The Mother and Child Protection Act protects the pregnant woman and the mother from being fired and, in many cases, from possible income reduction. As a rule, maternity leave starts 6 weeks before the expected date of childbirth and ends 8 weeks after childbirth. The mother is therefore paid 100% of her regular wage for 14 weeks.
Retirement
Citizens who have been insured for 45 years can retire at the age of 65. The retirement age of 67 applies to those who have been insured for at least 35 years. It includes, for example carechild care.
Amount of state pension depending on income – income earned (% of average wage):
- 50% – pension of 55.6%
- 75% – pension of 57.9%
- 100% – pension of 57.9%
- 150% – pension of 57.2%
- 200% – pension of 43.4%
