Pay extras in the German public service are more than the basic pay table. Besides your base salary, an annual special payment and several allowances can make a noticeable difference, once you know the rules. This guide explains them for employees under the TVöD (federal and municipal collective agreement) and the TV-L (collective agreement for the Länder).
Short answer: The annual special payment (Jahressonderzahlung, often called Weihnachtsgeld) is paid in November under the TVöD and TV-L if you are employed on 1 December. Under the TVöD (VKA), it can reach up to 84.51 percent of your average pay from July to September, depending on your pay grade. Allowances depend on your duties, shifts or strain. Last updated: October 2026.
Key points
- The annual special payment is not a statutory duty. It applies where a collective agreement or your employment contract provides for it.
- The reference date is 1 December, and payment is made in November.
- Allowances are linked to a duty, a shift or a function, not to how long you have been employed.
- The experience step within your pay grade is not an allowance. It is an assignment to an experience level.
- Employees of the Länder fall under the TV-L. The basic structure is similar, but the details differ.
How high is the annual special payment?
The annual special payment (Jahressonderzahlung, also called the 13th monthly salary) is regulated in the TVöD and the TV-L. There is no statutory entitlement. The amount depends on your pay grade. Under the TVöD (VKA), it is up to 84.51 percent of average pay from July to September, according to jobs-beim-staat.de (article status 20 October 2025). The exact rate for your pay grade is set out in the collective agreement or in your employer’s statement.
Worked example (assumption): your average pay from July to September is EUR 3,000. At most 84.51 percent gives a maximum of EUR 2,535.30. If you had two months of unpaid absence, the entitlement would be reduced by two twelfths, to EUR 2,112.75. This example only shows the logic and does not replace the calculation under the collective agreement.
For each calendar month without an entitlement to pay, the payment can be reduced by one twelfth. According to the description, parental leave and maternity protection do not remove the entitlement. If you are ill, payment continues as long as you are entitled to continued pay. A longer illness can still lead to a reduction. If you were not employed for the whole year, payment is usually pro rata.
Which allowances exist under the TVöD?
Allowances and surcharges are linked to a specific duty or strain. The overview below refers to the TVöD. It is based on jobs-beim-staat.de (accessed October 2026); the collective agreement itself defines the section numbers.
| Allowance | For what | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Time surcharges (section 8 TVöD) | Work at unsocial times such as nights, Sundays or public holidays | Percentage surcharges on the hourly pay |
| Shift allowance (Wechselschichtzulage) | Work in rotating shift systems | Monthly allowance |
| Strain allowance (section 19 TVöD) | Especially demanding work, for example with hazardous substances, in extreme temperatures or in emergency care | Applies only to defined duties |
| Personal allowance (section 14 TVöD) | Temporary performance of tasks from a higher pay grade | Only from at least one month |
| Skilled worker allowance (TVöD VKA) | Areas with staff shortages | Municipal, no individual entitlement |
| Labour market allowance (TVöD VKA) | Qualifications where much higher market pay is common | Up to 20 percent of the level 2 table pay |
| Performance pay (section 18 TVöD) | Performance bonus or time-limited performance allowance | For particularly good performance |
| Metropolitan area allowance | Regional allowance in some Länder | Not paid automatically |
The experience step is different. It is not an allowance. The experience level within your pay grade rises automatically over time, once the requirements are met. Your classification shows whether and when the next step applies.
How do the TVöD and TV-L differ?
The TVöD applies to federal and municipal employees (VKA). The TV-L applies to the Länder. Both collective agreements provide for an annual special payment, but they differ in detail, for example in how it is calculated, in allowances and in regional rules. Your employment contract shows whether the TVöD or the TV-L applies to you. For the TV-L, the sources we checked do not give percentages, so read the collective agreement of your Land.
What to check on your payslip
- The annual special payment appears in November as a separate item. Check whether the amount matches your pay grade.
- Allowances appear in their own lines. If an allowance that belongs to your work is missing, ask the HR department.
- Check reference dates such as 1 December and periods without pay, because they change the payment.
What applies during partial retirement (Altersteilzeit)?
If you are in the release phase of partial retirement (Altersteilzeit), you also have an entitlement to the annual special payment. It is calculated pro rata. How this works in your case is set out in your partial retirement agreement and in the wording of the collective agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get the annual special payment during my probation?
The entitlement is tied to your employment on 1 December. The sources we checked do not expressly say whether a probation period affects this reference date. Read the collective agreement or ask HR how it applies to your case.
Is the annual special payment the same as Weihnachtsgeld?
In everyday language, yes. The terms are usually treated as equivalent, and the payment is also called the 13th monthly salary. The collective agreement that regulates the payment in detail is what counts, not the name.
How do I find out my pay grade?
Your pay grade is stated in your employment contract or in the notice of your classification. If you cannot find it, ask HR. The job criteria in the collective agreement decide which group applies to your post.
When do I receive a strain allowance?
When your work is particularly demanding, for example with hazardous substances, in extreme temperatures or in emergency care. Section 19 TVöD regulates this. Whether your post qualifies depends on the job description and your workplace.
Is the public service worth it because of the extras?
That depends on the overall package. Besides basic pay, special payments, allowances, holiday entitlement and retirement provision count. A comparison with a private-sector offer is worthwhile if you include all these items. A general answer would not be reliable.
What does this mean for your planning?
Do not treat the special payment as a fixed amount until you know the collective agreement and your pay grade. For your monthly budget and emergency fund, the basic pay remains the reliable base. Extras are a buffer that shifts when reference dates or periods without pay change.
If you include the annual special payment in your budget, assume a cautious amount. Put any surplus into your emergency fund rather than planning it fixed.
What to do next
- Read your employment contract and establish whether the TVöD or the TV-L applies and which pay grade is used for you.
- Check the wording of the collective agreement on the special payment before you plan any amount.
- Ask HR which allowances apply to your role and how they are paid.
- Check your payslip in November and record any differences in writing.
Related articles
- First job in the public service: TVöD and TV-L
- Starting pay in the public service: E 13 or A 13?
- Bonus and Christmas bonus: tax and social insurance
- Your first payslip explained
- How to read your first payslip
Sources: jobs-beim-staat.de, lexicon entry on the annual special payment (article status 20 October 2025); jobs-beim-staat.de, pay in the public service and allowances (accessed October 2026). The applicable collective agreement and your employer’s statement are binding.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
