With the tax- and duty-free special payment, the federal government wanted to relieve the burden on employees during the energy crisis. Many employees benefit from this, but not equally in all sectors.
The vast majority of collective bargaining employees in Germany receive an inflation compensation bonus. According to the Federal Statistical Office, more than three quarters (77.9 percent) have received tax- and duty-free one-off payments since October 2022 or will receive the bonus by the end of 2024 according to the collective agreement. The average sum per person so far is 2,761 euros.
Payment between 1000 and 3000 euros
However, there are clear differences between individual sectors. The lowest bonuses were paid to employees in the construction industry with an average of 1,104 euros and in agriculture, forestry and fishing with an average of 1,689 euros.
The special payments were highest in the areas of public administration, defense, social security (3,000 euros), education and instruction (2,999 euros), art, entertainment and recreation (2,987 euros) and water supply, sewage and waste disposal (2,943 euros).
Employees in industry and in the areas of water supply, sewage and waste disposal benefit most from the special payment. There, 96.1 or 96.0 percent of collective bargaining employees are entitled to an inflation compensation bonus. There are significantly fewer in the hospitality industry (6.3 percent) or in retail (24.4 percent).
Numbers not final
The federal government made the special payment of up to 3,000 euros tax and duty-free in order to ease the burden of the energy crisis and the temporarily sharp rise in inflation for employees. Depending on the collective agreement, the money can be paid out as a total amount or in staggered partial amounts.
According to previously published data, the measure from the federal government’s third relief package contributed to collective wages including special payments increasing by an average of 3.7 percent last year compared to the previous year.
Inflation compensation premiums can be paid out until the end of 2024. The collective bargaining partners can therefore still agree on special payments. The statisticians’ numbers are therefore not yet final.
Source: Stern
