Special payment at the end of the year
The vast majority of collective bargaining employees receive Christmas bonuses
At the end of the year, over 85 percent of employees in Germany can look forward to a Christmas bonus. However, the differences depending on the industry are immense.
The vast majority of collective bargaining employees in Germany can also count on a Christmas bonus this year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 85.8 percent receive the special payment, on average it is 2,987 euros. That is 6.3 percent or 178 euros more than in the previous year.
However, both the proportion of collective bargaining employees who receive a Christmas bonus and the amount of the payment depend heavily on the industry, the statisticians explain. In the finance and insurance sectors as well as in the construction industry, more than 95 percent of employees receive a standard Christmas bonus. In contrast, in the “Information and Communication” and “Public Administration, Defense, Social Security” sectors, less than 70 percent are entitled to it.
Collective bargaining employees in the oil and gas industry (5,955 euros) and in the coking plant and mineral oil processing industry (5,898 euros) receive an above-average Christmas bonus. Collective bargaining employees in tobacco processing (564 euros) and the temporary employment industry (394 euros) receive the lowest Christmas bonus.
Collective agreements do not apply to all employees in Germany. According to the latest data from the Federal Statistical Office, in 2023 only just under half (49 percent) of employees worked in a collectively agreed company. Without a collective agreement, the chances of receiving fixed special payments decrease.
dpa
Source: Stern
