Urlaubsgeld in Germany 2024. Holiday allowance payments have begun. The money will be sent to the employees’ accounts before the holidays start. Over 70 percent of employees under collective agreements and nearly 1 percent of those working in the private sector will get the bonus.
Urlaubsgeld in Germany 2024
During times of high inflation, extra payments like the Urlaubsgeld holiday allowance are especially appreciated for household finances and travel expenses. In Germany, nearly half (47 percent) of all private sector employees and over 74 percent of employees under collective agreements receive this benefit. These findings come from a study by Lohnspiegel.de, conducted by the Institute of Economic and Social Sciences (WSI) of the Hans Böckler Foundation.
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Urlaubsgeld is deposited into your account along with your regular salary, and there’s no requirement to submit an application for it. If this benefit is part of your collective agreement or employment contract, it’s disbursed automatically. The amount and timing of payment are typically outlined as follows:
Amount of holiday allowance
According to Destatis, the average holiday allowance in Germany last year was EUR 1,602. In western Germany, this amount was EUR 479 higher than in the eastern part of the country. Nearly 47% of employees covered by collective agreements received a bonus. The highest holiday allowance recorded was EUR 3,615, while the minimum was EUR 380.
In Germany, the amount of holiday allowance varies significantly across different sectors. Data from 2023 reveals that the “Information Services” sector offers the highest average allowance at €3,615, but only 35.4% of employees in this sector receive it. In sectors like “Oil and Gas Extraction” and “Mechanical Engineering,” the average allowances are €3,138 and €2,889 respectively. For “Other Independent Activities” and “Furniture Production,” the average allowances are €1,610 and €1,606 respectively, with 63.6% and 83.1% of employees receiving them. Employees of employment agencies receive the lowest average allowance at €325. In the “Agriculture” sector, the average allowance is €350, and 76.3% of workers are eligible for it. Notably, employees in public administration, defense, and social security sectors do not receive holiday allowance.
Payment deadline for holiday allowance
The deadline for holiday benefit payments is typically outlined in a collective agreement or employment contract. In Germany, employees typically receive Urlaubsgeld between the months of May and July.
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Holiday allowance for employees of small companies
The probability of receiving holiday pay largely depends on the size of the company and the monthly earnings of employees. Last year, according to data from Lohnspiegel.de, only 38% of employees with a monthly gross salary below EUR 2,300 received holiday pay.