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A Comparison of Public
Service Pay Rates in
Germany and Ireland
Ciarán Lyng
November 2012
Table of Contents
A. Overview ............................................................................................................................. 1
B. Public Service in Germany .................................................................................................. 5
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 5
2. (i) Public Service Employees ......................................................................................... 5
(ii) Employees not covered by collective agreements .................................................... 6
3. Civil Servants ................................................................................................................. 7
3.1 Areas in which civil servants work .......................................................................... 8
3.2. Remuneration. ........................................................................................................ 9
(i) Salary Grades ................................................................................................... 9
(ii) Salary Scales ................................................................................................. 12
(iii) Salary Table ................................................................................................. 12
3.3. Bonus Payments. ................................................................................................... 14
3.4. Working Time ....................................................................................................... 14
3.5. Annual Leave ........................................................................................................ 15
4. Public Service Employees ............................................................................................ 16
4.1. Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees)............. 16
4.1.1. Remuneration ............................................................................................. 17
(i) Salary Grades ......................................................................................... 17
(ii) Salary Scales ......................................................................................... 18
(iii) Salary Table ......................................................................................... 19
4.1.2. Bonus Payments ......................................................................................... 20
(i) Annual Special Payment ........................................................................ 20
(ii) Capital Accumulation Benefit .............................................................. 21
(iii) Special Payments ................................................................................. 21
4.1.3. Working Time ............................................................................................ 21
4.1.4. Annual Leave ............................................................................................. 22
4.2. Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local
Authorities) .................................................................................................................................. 24
4.2.1. Remuneration ............................................................................................ 24
(i) Salary Grades. ....................................................................................... 24
(ii) Salary Scales. ....................................................................................... 25
(iii) Salary Table. ....................................................................................... 26
4.2.2. Bonus Payments ........................................................................................ 28
(i) Annual Special Payment…….…….……………………………..….28
(ii) Performance-related Bonuses………………………..……………..28
(a) Performance Bonus ....................................................................... 28
(b) Success Bonus…....…..………………………………….……….28
(c) Performance Allowance……………………...………...……...…29
(iii) Capital Accumulation Benefit…………………………....……….29
(iv) Special Payments…………………….……………………...…….29
4.2.3. Working Time……………………….………………………………….29
4.2.4. Annual Leave…….....................……………………………...………...30
C. Comparison between equivialent German and Irish workers………...............................32
1. Engineer with one year of service…...………………………………….…………….32
(i) Germany………………………………...…………………………...………….…32
(ii) Ireland….………………………………………………………………...……..…33
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Germany and Ireland………....………..……33
2. Primary School Teacher with five years of service…...………………..……..………35
(i) Germany………………………………………………………………..……….…35
(ii) Ireland….…………………………………………………………………...……..35
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Germany and Ireland…………….………..…35
3. Pharmacist with fifteen years of service…..……...............……………...……………39
(i) Germany………………………………………………………………………...….39
(ii) Ireland….…………………………………………………………………….....…39
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Germany and Ireland……………...…………39
4. Clerical Officer with twenty-five years of service…...…………………………..……42
(i) Germany…………………………………………………………………….……..42
(ii) Ireland….………………………………………………………...………………..42
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Germany and Ireland…………...……………43
5. Social Worker with thirty-five years of service…...…………………………………..45
(i) Germany……………………………………………………………………………45
(ii) Ireland……………………………………………………………………..………46
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Germany and Ireland……………...…………46
D. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………..…49
1
A. Overview
This report outlines the rates of basic pay, bonus payments, working time and annual
leave for public service workers in Germany. The report also explains the distinction
between Civil Servants (who have a special status, known as Beamte in German) and
Public Service Employees (regular employees of the German public service, known as
Arbeitnehmer der öffentlichen Dienst in German). Within the category of the regular
public service workers, there is a distinction between those working in national or
local authority employments (who are part of the Collective Agreement for the
Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities), known as the TVöD in
German) and those working in either federal state employments (who are part of the
Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees), known as
the TV-L in German).
This report then compares the earnings of a selection of German workers at particular
stages in their career, with that of equivalent Irish workers. The five types of worker
selected are:
an engineer with one year of service;
a primary school teacher with five years of service;
a pharmacist with fifteen years of service;
a clerical officer with twenty-five years of service;
a social worker with thirty-five years of service.
This selection takes into account a broad range of professions which are generally
covered by IMPACT such as local authority engineers, pharmacists, clerical officers
and social workers, as well as primary school teachers, a profession not covered by
IMPACT. The inclusion of primary school teachers is to give a more general
comparison.
This report is in the context of the ever increasing media attention on the perceived
high pay of public servants in Ireland and the emerging debate about international
comparisons of pay levels.1 In this context, it is important to note that since the
introduction of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012, in registering a
1 http://www.impact.ie/12/09/17/What-do-international-public-service-pay-comparisons-tell-us-
.htm
2
Registered Employment Agreement, the Labour Court shall, where enterprises in the
sector in question are in competition with enterprises in another Member State, have
regard to the general level of wages in the enterprise in that Member State taking into
account the cost of living in the Member State concerned.2 Therefore, international
pay comparisons and the cost of living in other countries will become a very
important feature of Labour Court recommendations for the registration of a
Registered Employment Agreement into the future.
It must also be stressed, at the outset, that a like-for-like comparison is extremely
difficult between two different countries, especially between two countries such as
Ireland and Germany, which have a vast difference in cost of living. Therefore, this is
a very complex process. When reading these figures, we must bear in mind the much
higher level of public services that exist in Germany such as free childcare, free or
much cheaper university education in most federal states, better public transport, etc.
A specific example which exemplifies the difference in the level of public services is
the health service. Despite widespread voluntary health insurance cover among Irish
public service workers, access to health and medical care in Ireland in no way
compares to the essentially fully free service in Germany. While a doctor's visit in
Ireland usually costs €60, even where there is VHI cover, in Germany a worker pays a
maximum of €10 in any three month period for all doctor visits in that period. A
similar "charge" applies to hospital visits and dental care. Prescriptions are also
essentially free, with a worker not liable for any prescription costs over €100 in any
given year. The cost of prescription drugs are 10% of the price of the drug with a
minimum of €5 and a limit of €10 per medication per prescription. Therefore, for
example, if a drug costs €150, the cost would be €10 (even though 10% of the cost
would be €15) because €10 is the maximum charge. However, if a drug costs €12.50,
the cost would be €5 because there is a minimum charge of €5.3
The general cost of living in Ireland is also much higher than that of Germany.
Therefore, the purchasing power of Irish salaries is decidedly lower than that of
German salaries. This is can be seen in the OECD figures for monthly comparative
price levels.4 This dataset contains monthly Comparative Price Levels (CPL) for
2 Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012, s. 5 (c) (3B) (k).
3 http://www.medizinfo.de/arzneimittel/rezepte/rezeptgebuehr.shtml
4 http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=CPL (accessed on 16/10/12) – Data for August 2012.
3
OECD countries. They provide measures of differences in price levels between
countries. Each column within the table shows the number of specified monetary units
needed in each of the countries listed to buy the same representative basket of
consumer goods and services. In each case the representative basket costs a hundred
units in the country whose currency is specified. In the case of Ireland, where the
price level is set at 100, it is 117 for Germany. Therefore, prices are 17% higher in
Ireland than in Germany, as of the figures for August 2012. This means that you
would spend €117 in Ireland to buy the same basket of goods and services that would
cost you €100 in Germany. This difference in cost of living must be remembered
when reading the figures contained within this report.
It is also important to point the significant wage movement that is currently happening
in Germany. In March 2012, a wage deal was struck between the German Federal
Government and the VerDi union, which means that two million German public
sector workers will get a pay rise of 6.3% over a 24-month period.5 German Finance
Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has also recently backed calls for wage increases for
German workers to increase demand for goods and services in Germany and therefore
help support European growth.6
Another point to bear in mind is the difference in the number of public holidays in
Germany and Ireland. There are 9 public holidays in Ireland, whereas most German
federal states have in excess of 9 public holidays.
Federal Public
Holidays
Baden-Württemberg 12
Bavaria 13
Berlin 9
Brandenburg 10
Bremen 9
Hamburg 9
Hessen 10
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 10
5 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/31/uk-germany-wages-idUKBRE82U03N20120331
6 http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/54aa8246-9772-11e1-83f3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2C0gSqDBU
4
Lower Saxony 9
North Rhine-Westphalia 11
Rhineland-Palatinate 11
Saarland 12
Saxony 11
Saxony-Anhalt 11
Schleswig-Holstein 9
Thuringia 10
5
B. Public Service In Germany
1. Introduction
Germany is a federal country with a federal government (Bund), state governments
(Bundesländer) and municipal administrations/local authorities (Kommunen). The
Länder are states with sovereign rights and responsibilities which are devolved from
the Bund but are granted to them by the Basic Law (Grundgesetz – the German
constitution).
State power is divided between the Bund and the Länder according to the tasks and
functions they perform. The Basic Law assigns everything that has to be regulated and
managed in the general interest of the public to the Bund. The Lander are assigned
responsibility in all other matters.7 However, responsibility for public administration
does not lie with the Bund and Lander alone. Under the Basic Law, local matters are
dealt with independently by the bodies of local self-government (Kommunen).8
Therefore, there are three different layers of public administration in Germany:
federal, state and local.
2. (i) Public Service Employees
Within the German public service, there is a clear and formal distinction between
ordinary public service employees (in German, Arbeitnehmer der öffentlichen Dienst),
which are generally subject to the same body of laws and regulations as the
employees of private enterprises, and civil servants (in German, Beamte) who have
their own special body of laws and regulations covering their conduct, who exercise
public authority and/or state powers. German law thus makes a distinction that does
not exist in most other national bodies of law.
The roles and remuneration for both civil servants and public service employees are
discussed in turn within this report.
(ii) Employees not covered by collective agreements
7 Art. 70 Grundgesetz.
8 Art. 28 S. 2 Grundgesetz.
6
Regarding the remuneration of public service workers, there is a very important group
of workers, the situation of whom makes it very difficult to compare and contrast the
remuneration of German public service workers with that of their Irish counterparts.
This group of workers are the employees who are not covered by collective
agreements (known in German as außertariflicher Angestellte).9 These workers have
a salary exceeding that of the collective agreement and the collective agreement may
not fully apply to them. The rate of their salary depends on their individual negotiated
contracts of employment. These workers could include the elite hospital consultants.
They would also equate with the top management positions within in the HSE, who
also have their own privately negotiated individual contracts.
According to email correspondence received from Mathias Flickschu, from the ver.di
trade union in Germany, these workers earn on average 30-50% more than regular
workers under the applicable collective agreement. These workers have extensive
academic qualifications, and/or particular special knowledge and/or valuable career
experience. If these elements are present, a worker can become an employee not
covered by a collective agreement at recruitment or can be promoted to that position
during their career. According to Herr Flickschu, the total number of these workers is
difficult to ascertain but ver.di estimate that it is approximately 100,000 workers. Due
to the fact that these increased salaries are individually negotiated, they are not made
public and therefore it is difficult to make a correct comparison between the earnings
of public service workers in Germany and Ireland.
On 2011 figures, there are approximately 4.6 million people employed in the German
Public Service.10
Therefore, these employees (100,000), who are not covered by
collective agreements, constitute a tiny percentage of the entire German Public
Service.
3. Civil Servants
9 For more information: http://rsw.beck.de/rsw/upload/Arbeitsrechtslexikon/Stichw-091.pdf (In German).
10 For more information:
https://www.destatis.de/DE/ZahlenFakten/GesellschaftStaat/OeffentlicheFinanzenSteuern/OeffentlicherDienst/P
ersonal/Tabellen/Aufgaben.html (In German).
7
Civil servants are regarded as agents of the State and they are accountable under
public law. The special status of civil servants is defined by the Basic Law,11
enshrined in a series of special codes known as the Law of Civil Servants,12
not as
employees but as civil servants of the German state.
The original idea behind civil servants was developed as part of the "enlightened
monarchical rule" as practiced in 18th century Prussia and other German states. The
idea was that whoever represents the state by doing official duties that only the state
may legally provide (hoheitliche Aufgaben), such as issuing official documents,
teaching state-approved curricula to students, preaching in state-approved churches,
wielding lethal power in the name of the state, or making any other kind of official
decisions, should have a special kind of employment with the state - an employment
marked by a higher-than-normal degree of loyalty. Ideally, that loyalty works in both
directions, with the Beamte having a special duty of serving (Dienstpflicht) that goes
beyond the merely economic self-interest of the salaried worker, and the state having
a special duty of seeing to their welfare (Fürsorgepflicht) that likewise goes beyond
what would be expected of a commercial employer.
Under the ‘Leistungsprinzip’, civil servants take an oath of loyalty to the Basic Law
and do not receive a salary as such, but rather receive financial compensation for their
service to the State. This separate form of remuneration is known as ‘Besoldung’.
Civil servants also have a protected employment states, with a series of specific rights
under the ‘Alimentationsprinzip’. This provides for the maintenance of the civil
servant from appointment to death, including total security of employment to
retirement age.
The main advantages of being a civil servant include a special health plan, the
Beihilfe, which covers 50% of most health care expenses; an index-linked pension of,
at most, 71.5% of the last salary, paid directly by the state rather than by the usual
public pension insurance; and most importantly, the virtual impossibility of losing
11
Art. 33 Grundgesetz. 12
For example, the Law of the Regulation of the Status of Civil Servants in Federal States - http://www.gesetze-
im-internet.de/beamtstg/index.html
Federal Civil Servants Law - http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bbg_2009/index.html
Federal Civil Servants Pay Law - http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bbesg/
Federal Civil Service Pay Law - http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/beamtvg/
8
one's job - basically, the state may transfer Beamte who do not perform well to other,
often less desirable, posts, but may only terminate employment entirely in cases of
serious disciplinary issues. Another advantage is that civil servants are exempt from
paying social security contributions, they only have to pay income tax (but they have
to pay income tax even after retirement, while pensions from the public pension
insurance are not so taxed) and their private health insurance. Also, once they retire
(at the age of 65 - gradually rising to 67 until 2030) their level of Beihilfe rises to
70%.
However, there are also a number of disadvantages with being a civil servant. Due to
the fact that their role and function is derived from the so-called Law of Civil
Servants, they do not have a contract of employment and are also excluded from
collective bargaining. As a result, the usual working week for ordinary public service
employees is 38.5 hours whereas for civil servants it is now 40 to 42 hours. Civil
servants are also excluded from going on strike. This is to ensure that the public
administration on a federal, state and local level remain functional and cannot be
‘incapacitated’ during a strike.
3.1. Areas in which civil servants work
There are 4 professional tracks for civil servants, depending on their education:
Einfacher Dienst / lower public service, mainly for positions of menial
work, has mostly fallen out of use
Mittlerer Dienst / Middle public service, mainly for positions requiring
roughly the equivalent of a completed apprenticeship
Gehobener Dienst / Upper-middle public service, mainly for positions
requiring a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent
Höherer Dienst / Senior public service, restricted to academics holding a
Master's degree or its equivalent
The status of civil servants is enjoyed by the staff of public authorities and civil
services, but also by policemen, soldiers and officers, most teachers and other
professionals in public service, and by holders of political offices such as mayors,
ministers, etc. However, for holders of political offices the status of civil servants
9
is not permanent and is only applicable for their period in office. Also, teachers in
the territories of the former West Germany are still commonly civil servants, but
not in the former East Germany.
3.2. Remuneration
The amount of the remuneration depends on the salary grade (Entgeltgruppe),
which reflects the level of formal qualification, and the salary scale (Entgeltstufe),
which reflects the level of experience with the same employer.
These features are combined to result in the salary table (Entgelttabelle).
(i) Salary Grades - Classification
Pay Group A – Ascending Salary
I. Lower Public Service
Grade Examples
A 2 Attendant (Park, Museum, etc.), Administrative Assistant,
Conductor
A 3 Higher Administrative Assistant, Senior Attendant, Senior
Conductor, Private (soldier), Aircraftman, Seaman
A 4 Office Administrator, Main Attendant, Main Conductor ,
Assistant Warden, Tram driver, Seaman, Lance Corporal
A 5 Senior Warden
II. Middle Public Service
Scale Examples
A 5 Senior tram driver, Police Sergeant, Lance Sergeant,
Mate/Petty Officer, Cadet, Naval cadet
A 6 Main Warden, locomotive driver, Clerk of Works, Sergeant,
Petty Officer Second Class
A 7 Fire Chief, Nurse, Detective sergeant, Senior locomotive
driver, Senior Clerk of Works, Police constable, Ward nurse,
Petty Officer Second Class, Cadet, Midshipman, Chief Petty
Officer
A 8 Ward nurse, Baliff, Main locomotive driver, Main Clerk of
Works, Senior detective sergeant, Senior fire chief, Senior
police constable
A 9 Office inspector, Consulate secretary, Main detective sergeant,
Senior baliff, Matron, Main police constable, Senior
midshipman
10
III. Upper-Middle Service
Scale Examples
A 9 Inspector, captain, detective superintendent, Police
commissioner, Lieutenant, Ensign
A 10 Consulate secretary first class, Senior detective superintendent,
Senior police commissioner , Senior inspector, Sea captain ,
First Lieutenant
A 11 Civil servant, Chancellor (in the Foreign Office), Main
detective superintendent, Main Police Commissioner, Senior
sea captain, Specialist teacher, Flight Lieutenant, Captain
lieutenant
A 12 State Solicitor, Chancellor First Class, Main Police
Commissioner, Auditor, Main Sea Captain, Specialist teacher,
Deputy Rector, Hauptmann, Captain lieutenant
A 13 Senior State Solicitor, Senior Auditor , First Main Police
Detective, First Main Police Commissioner, Main Sea Captain,
Senior Specialist Teacher, Deputy Rector, Teacher (Realschule
– type of secondary school), Captain (army), Lieutenant
(marine)
IV. Senior Service
Scale Examples
A 13 Academic Advisor, Arzt, Legation Advisor, Curator,
Government Advisor, Senior Librarian, Chancellor First Class,
Church Minister, Major, Lieutenant Commander
A 14 Senior Academic Advisor, First Consul, Federal Lawyer, First
Legation Advisor, Member of the Executive Board of an
Employment Agency, Senior Curator, Senior Government
Advisor, Church Minister, Director of a specialist school,
Senior Specialist School Teacher, Deputy Rector, Realschule
Deputy Rector, Realschule Rector, Lieutenant Colonel Marine
Commander
A 15 Academic Director, Library Director, Ambassador, Director of
the Bundesbank, Deacon, General Consul,
Envoy/Plenipotentiary , Senior Curator, Senior Federal Lawyer,
Chairperson of the Executive Board of an Employment
Agency, Director of a Specialist School, Realschule Director,
Director of Education Office, Director of Studies, Lieutenant
Colonel, Marine Commander
A 16 Department Director, Department President, Ambassador,
Embassy Counsellor, Executive Director of the Bundesbank,
Executive Director of a Library, Deacon, Director of the
German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigation,
Director of the Secret State Archive of the Prussian Cultural
11
Heritage Foundation, Director of the State Institute for Music
Research of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation,
Director of an Army Technical Centre, Financial President,
Consul General, Envoy/Plenipotentiary, Federal Curator,
Executive Academic Director, Museum Director and Professor
(also B1), Senior Federal Lawyer, Chairperson of the Executive
Board of an Employment Agency, Chancellor of a University,
Senior Director of Studies, Naval Captain
Pay Group B – fixed salary
Scale Examples
B 1 Director und Professor (within authorities with an academic
function)
B 2 Director of a Department, Undersecretary of a Department
B 3 Ambassador, Director of Bundesbank
B 4 First Director, Chief Undersecretary
B 5 General Director, President of smaller Federal Offices
B 6 President of mid-sized Federal Officers, Head of Section (in a
Government department) , Brigadier-general
B 7 President of larger Federal Offices, Senior Finance Director,
Major General
B 8 President of the largest Federal Offices, Director of a regional
authority between the administration of a Federal Land and that
of a local administrative unit
B 9 Head of Department (in a Government Department), President
of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Lieutenant General
B 10 Director of the German Parliament, General
B 11 Permanent Under-Secretary of State
Pay Group W – Third-Level College Personnel
Scale Examples
W 1 Junior Professor
W 2 Professor
W 3 Professor (Director of an Institute or Holder of a Chair)
(ii) Salary Scales
12
There are eight different scales, which reflects the level of experience with the
same employer. The entry scale for people without career experience is Scale
1. The promotion to Scale 2 is possible after two years , to Scale 3 after three
years in Scale 2, to Scale 4 after three years in Scale 3, to Scale 5 after three
years in Scale 4, to Scale 6 after four years in Scale 5, to Scale 7 after four
years in Scale 6, to Scale 8 after four years in Scale 7. Scale 8 is the final basic
salary and is the total of c. 23 years of career service.
There are particular rules for soldiers:
Scale 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A 2 – A7 Entry
Scale
2
years
2 years,
3 months
3
years
3
years
4
years
4
years
4
years
A 8 – A 16 Entry
Scale
3
years
3 years,
3 months
4
years
4
years
5
years
5
years
5
years
The different salary scales are essentially comparable to the increment system
in Ireland.
(iii) Salary Table
The three salary tables below are the monthly gross pay for those working in a
federal employment.
The salary scale for the Pay Group A has 16 different salary grades and this is
combined with the 8 different salary stages to form the salary table.
The 16 salary grades are found in ascending order along the left hand side of
the table while the 8 salary stages are found in ascending order across the top
of the table.
€ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A 2 1802.38 1844.50 1887.75 1920.15 1953.66 1987.16 2020.64 2054.14
A 3 1874.77 1919.07 1963.37 1999.03 2034.70 2070.35 2106.01 2141.66
A 4 1915.85 1968.77 2021.73 2063.87 2106.01 2148.15 2190.29 2229.20
A 5 1930.96 1996.87 2049.81 2101.69 2153.57 2206.51 2258.37 2309.16
A 6 1974.18 2050.91 2128.70 2188.13 2249.72 2309.16 2375.07 2432.34
13
The salary scale for the Pay Group B has no salary stages because it is a fixed
salary. Therefore it is only the 11 salary grades which are found in ascending
order on the table.
The Pay Group W, similar to the Pay Group B, has no salary stages because it
is a fixed salary. Its three salary stages are found in ascending order below.
A 7 2076.84 2144.91 2234.62 2326.45 2416.14 2506.91 2574.98 2643.04
A 8 2202.18 2284.31 2399.93 2516.63 2633.32 2714.36 2796.49 2877.54
A 9 2383.71 2464.76 2592.27 2721.93 2849.43 2935.89 3023.42 3108.77
A 10 2557.68 2668.98 2829.99 2989.90 3149.83 3261.15 3372.42 3483.74
A 11 2935.89 3101.22 3265.45 3430.79 3544.24 3657.70 3771.16 3884.62
A 12 3147.69 3343.26 3539.92 3735.49 3871.65 4005.63 4140.71 4277.94
A 13 3691.19 3874.89 4057.51 4241.20 4367.63 4495.14 4621.55 4745.82
A 14 3796.02 4032.65 4270.38 4507.02 4670.17 4834.43 4997.59 5161.84
A 15 4639.93 4853.88 5017.04 5180.21 5343.38 5505.46 5667.54 5828.54
A 16 5118.61 5367.15 5555.16 5743.18 5930.12 6119.23 6307.23 6493.10
€
B 1 5828.54
B 2 6770.80
B 3 7169.52
B 4 7586.61
B 5 8065.31
B 6 8520.23
B 7 8958.92
B 8 9418.16
B 9 9987.62
B 10 11756.50
B 11 12213.58
€
W 1 4056.43
W 2 4625.88
W 3 5604.87
14
The above tables are all valid from 1 March 2012 to 31 December 2012.
There are also separate tables for each of the 16 federal states. Rather than
putting the tables of all 16 federal tables here, these tables can all be found at
the following link: http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/beamte/land/
The salaries are broadly similar to that of the federal level. However, the
former east German states generally have lower salaries due to the fact that
these states often have a lower cost of living and are ‘poorer’ in comparison to
the former west German states.
3.3. Bonus Payments
The only bonus payment for civil servants is that of the Annual Special Payment
(Jahressonderzahlung). This is currently at a rate of 60% of a month’s salary.
3.4. Working Time
As mentioned above, one of the disadvantages of being a civil servant is that the
weekly working hours is generally higher than that of regular public service
employees. The average regular weekly working hours are as follows:
Area Time
Federal 41:00
Baden-Württemberg 41:00
Bavaria 42:00
Brandenburg 40:00
Bremen 40:00
Hamburg 40:00
Hessen 42:00
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 40:00
Lower Saxony 40:00
15
North Rhine-Westphalia 41:00
Rhineland-Palatinate 40:00
Saarland 40:00
Saxony 40:00
Saxony-Anhalt 40:00
Schleswig-Holstein 41:00
Thuringia 42:00
3.5. Annual Leave
Civil servants have the entitlement to the following number of days of annual
leave:
Pay Grade Until the age
of 30
Age of 31
to 40
From the age
of 40
A1 - A14, B1, W1 26 30 30
A15 and above, B2 and above, W2 and above 26 29 30
There are also different rates for each of the 16 Bundesländer
16
4. Public Service Employees
Public Service Employees, as opposed to civil servants, are regarded as simply
performing a profession in the Public Service of the economy, or within the public
services funded by the state budget, and they are regulated by employment law and
collective agreements. There are two main collective agreements for these public
service workers:
The Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees)
regulates the pay and working conditions for employees of the federal states.
This came into force on the 1st November 2006. There are two exceptions –
the state of Berlin and the state of Hessen have their own collective
agreements.
The Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local
Authorities) regulates the pay and working conditions for employees of the
federal government and the local authorities. Local authorities include Städte
(towns), Gemeinden (municipalities) and Landkreise (counties). This came
into force on the 1st of October 2005.
These two agreements replaced the previous collective agreement, known as the BAT
(Bundes Angestelltentarifvertrag – Federal Employee Collective Agreement), which
regulated the pay and working conditions of federal, state and local authority
employees. It was in force from the 1st April 1961 until the 30
th September 2005 for
the federal and local authority level, and until 31st October 2006 for the state
employees.
4.1. Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State
Employees)
As mentioned above, the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal
State Employees) regulates the pay and working conditions for employees of the
federal states. It is in force in 14 of the 16 federal states. The exceptions are the
state of Hessen and the state of Berlin. Both of these states have their own
individually-negotiated agreements.
17
4.1.1. Remuneration
The amount of the remuneration depends on the salary grade (Entgeltgruppe),
which reflects the level of formal qualification, and the salary scale (Entgeltstufe),
which reflects the level of experience with the same employer.
These features are combined to result in the salary table (Entgelttabelle).
(i) Salary Grades - Classification
Salary
Grades Requirements Examples
1 Most basic occupations.
Food server
Cleaner in outdoor area.
Plate Washer.
2 Basic occupations. Swimming Pool Attendant.
3 Occupations, which require enhanced
training/practice. Disinfection Assistant.
4 Occupations requiring difficult or
partial technical knowledge.
Drivers.
Village Helper/Assistant.
Plant Inspector.
5 to 8 Generallly employees who have completed vocational education and
corresponding occupations.
5 Occupations requiring more detailed
technical knowledge.
Fernsprecher in Information Services
Advisor for Travel Costs
6
Occupations requiring detailed and
varied technical knowledge.
For some occupational grades
(employees in libraries and archives)
independent services are also required.
Childcare Assistant.
Social Care Assistant.
Occupational Therapist.
Family Carer.
Housekeeper.
Social Assistant.
Seniors Care Assistant.
IT-Information Technician.
IT-System Technician.
Fisheries Inspectors.
7
Medical-technical Assistant.
Social Care Worker.
Speech and Language Therapist.
Physiotherapist.
Geriatric Nurse.
Dietician.
8
Occupations requiring detailed and
varied technical knowledge and partial
independent services.
18
9 to 12 Generally employees with completed technical college and corresponding
occupations.
9
More comprehensive technical
knowledge and occupations requiring
independent services, in some cases
with increased responsibility.
Librarian.
Archive Inspector.
Swimming Pool Manager.
Forester.
10
Occupation as with 9, but with partially
increased responsibility, difficulty and
importance.
Forester.
11
Occupations as with 9, but with
partially increased responsibility,
difficulty and importance.
Primary School Teacher, Secondary
School (the three less academic
schools: Realschule; Hauptschule;
and Gesamtschule) Teacher (at
appointment).
12 Occupations as with 11, but with a
particular amount of responsibility. Interpreter during the training period.
13 to 15 Employees with completed academic university education.
13
PhD and postgraduate students in
universities and research institutes.
Teachers at special needs schools,
Gymnasiem (academic secondary
school) and comprehensive school
(Gesamtschulen) (at appointment).
14
Employees, who are superior to at least
three employees of Scale 13.
Or the tasks embrace particular
difficulty and importance.
(generally Ph.D) Academics, who are
working as Team or Project Manager.
Doctors and Pharmacists.
15
Like 14, but with at least 5 inferior
workers of Scale 13 or with tasks,
which require a particular amount of
responsibility.
Head of Department in Research
Institutes.
Consultant Doctor in Hospital.
Pharmacist with four or more inferior
pharmacists.
(ii) Salary Scales
There are 6 different scales, which reflects the level of experience with the
same employer. The entry level is Scale 1. The promotion to the next level
generally occurs according to the length of work experience with the same
employer. The promotion to Scale 2 is possible after one year, to Scale 3 after
two years in Scale 2, to Scale 4 after three years in Scale 3, etc. The length of
the time of the promotion from Scale 3 can be extended or shortened
depending on experience.
19
The different salary scales are essentially comparable to the increment system
in Ireland.
(iii) Salary Table
The salary scale, with the 15 different salary grades, are combined with the 6
different salary stages stages to form the salary table.
The 15 salary grades are found in ascending order along the left hand side of
the table while the 6 salary stages are found in ascending order across the top
of the table.
€ 1 2 3 4 5 6
E 15Ü 4803.75 5332.01 5833.33 6162.15 6243.01
E 15 3817.29 4232.36 4388.68 4943.91 5364.37
E 14 3456.14 3833.46 4054.47 4388.68 4900.78
E 13Ü
3536.99 3725.66 4054.47 4388.68 4900.78
E 13 3186.61 3536.99 3725.66 4092.21 4598.91
E 12 2857.79 3170.43 3612.45 4000.57 4501.88
E 11 2760.76 3057.24 3278.25 3612.45 4097.60
E 10 2658.34 2949.43 3170.43 3391.45 3811.91
E 9 2351.08 2604.42 2733.81 3089.58 3369.89
E 8 2200.15 2437.33 2545.13 2647.56 2760.76 2830.84
E 7 2059.99 2281.00 2426.55 2534.36 2620.61 2696.06
E 6 2022.26 2237.88 2345.69 2453.50 2523.58 2599.04
E 5 1936.01 2140.85 2248.67 2351.08 2431.94 2485.84
E 4 1838.98 2038.44 2173.19 2248.67 2324.13 2372.64
E 3 1812.03 2006.09 2059.99 2146.24 2216.32 2275.61
E 2Ü 1731.17 1914.45 1984.53 2070.78 2130.08 2178.58
E 2 1671.88 1849.76 1903.67 1957.57 2081.56 2210.93
E 1
1488.60 1515.55 1547.89 1580.24 1661.10
This salary table is valid from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012.
The Ü after some numbers in the above table, for instance after 2, 13 and 15,
stands for workers who were on a higher rate under previous collective
agreements and now remain on this higher rate. This guarantees that no
worker earns less under the current collective agreement than the previous
agreement.
20
4.1.2. Bonus Payments
Under the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees),
in combination with the basic salary explained above, there are also a number of
bonus payments available to workers. These include:
an annual special payment (Jahressonderzahlung);
capital accumulation benefit (for an employees’ savings scheme)
(Vermoegenswirksame Leistungen)
There was also a performance-related bonus (Leistungsentgelt) in 2007 and 2008.
This consisted of a payment of 12% of the September salary of that year.
However, this was abolished in 2009.
(i) Annual Special Payment
Under the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State
Employees), the previous Christmas Payment and Holiday payment have
been combined to form one payment called the Annual Special Payment.
This payment is paid out annually in combination with the November
wages. The requirement for being paid is the existence of an employment
relationship on the 1st of December of that year.
13 The basis of assessment
for the payment is the average salary for the months of July, August and
September, or the first month’s salary if the employment relationship
begins after the 31st of August.
14 For every month of the current year
where there is no salary, the Annual Special Payment is reduced by one-
twelfth. There is a distinction in the payment between those workers in the
former West and former East German states.
The figures for the Annual Special Payment are as follows:
13
Article 20, s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 14
Article 20, s. 3 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees).
West East
E 1 to E 8 95 % 71,5 %
E 9 to E 11 80 % 60 %
E 12 to E 13 50 % 45 %
21
(ii) Capital Accumulation Benefit
This payment is for the benefit of an employee savings scheme. Workers
are entitled to it after 6 months of work. It consists of a monthly payment
of €6.65.15
It is reduced for part-time workers according to the hours of
work they perform.
(iii) Special Payments
Workers receive an Anniversary Payment (Jubiläumsgeld)16
of:
€350 after 25 years
€500 after 40 years
In the case of death of a worker, whose employment relationship still
exists, there exists a Death Benefit (Sterbegeld)17
for the husband, wife,
civil partner or children of the worker. The payment consists of the salary
of the rest of the month of death as well as the salary for two further
months.
4.1.3. Working Time
The average regular weekly working hours excluding breaks is 40 hours in the
former East German federal states (Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,
Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia).
In the former West German states, the average weekly working hours are as
follows:
Baden-Württemberg 39 hours, 30 minutes
Bayern 40 hours, 06 minutes
Bremen 39 hours, 12 minutes
Hamburg 39 hours
Lower Saxony 39 hours, 48 minutes
North Rhine-Westphalia 39 hours, 50 minutes
15
Art. 23 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 16
Art. 23 s. 2 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 17
Art. 23 s. 3 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees).
E 14 and E 15(Ü) 35 % 30 %
E 13 Ü, Stage 2 und 3 50 % 45 %
E 13 Ü, Stage 4 und 5 35 % 30 %
22
Rhineland-Palatinate 39 hours
Saarland 39 hours, 30 minutes
Schleswig-Holstein 38 hours, 42 minutes
For the following jobs in the former West German states, the average weekly
working hours are 38.5 hours:
a) Workers who are always on shift or rotating shift work.
b) Workers at university hospitals, federal hospitals and psychiatric institutions,
with the exception of doctors.18
c) Workers in road maintenance depots, motorway maintenance depots, vehicle
garages, port operations, locks and in coastal protection.
d) Workers in institutions for severely disabled people (schools, homes,etc.)
e) Workers in day care centres in Bremen.
4.1.4. Annual Leave
Workers have an entitlement to the following days of annual leave for each
calendar year:19
Until the end of the 30th
year of age – 26 days
Until the end of the 40th
year of age – 29 days
After the end of the 40th
year of age – 30 days
There is also additional leave for workers, who are permanently on rotating shift
work or shift work.20
There is a distinction in the Collective Agreement for the
Public Service (Federal State Employees) between rotating shift work and shift
work. Rotating shift work consists of alternating work shifts which are continually
worked by day and night, Sundays and bank holidays.21
Shift work consists of a
regular change to the start of a working day of at least two hours.22
There is an extra day of annual leave for:
Rotating shift workers for every two months in succession;
Shift workers for every four months in succession.23
18
According to Article 41 of the Special Regulations for Hospital Doctors, such doctors can work 42 hours per week in both the Western and Eastern States. 19
Art. 26 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 20
Art. 27 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 21
Art. 7 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 22
Art. 7 s. 2 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 23
Art. 27 s. 2 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees).
23
In the case of those rotating shift workers or shift workers who are not
permanently on shift work, there is an additional day of annual leave for:
Rotating shift workers for every three months in the year, in which they
predominately work rotating shift work;
Shift workers for every five months in the year, in which they
predominately work shift work.24
There is a maximum of 6 additional days of annual leave per calendar year.25
There is also annual leave in the following circumstances:26
Childbirth of wife/civil partner – one day
Death of wife/husband/civil partner, a child or a parent – two days
Relocation for an official or work-related reason – one day
25 Year and 40 Year Work Anniversary – one day
Severe sickness of:
o a family member, as long as he/she lives in the same household –
one day.
o a child, who is not over the age of 12 – up to four days.
24
§ 27 s. 3 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 25
§ 27 s. 4 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). 26
§ 29 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees).
24
4.2. Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and
Local Authorities)
As mentioned above, the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National
Level and Local Authorities) regulates the pay and working conditions for
employees of the federal government and the local authorities. Local authorities
include Städte (towns), Gemeinden (municipalities) and Landkreise (counties).
This agreement came into force on the 1st of October 2005. It was agreed in
September 2005 between the Federal Republic, represented by the then Interior
Minister Otto Schilly, and the Municipal Employers’ Association (VKA –
Vereinigung der kommunalen Arbeitgeberverbande) on one side, and the trade
unions ver.di, GEW, GdP and DPP on the other side.
4.2.1. Remuneration
Similar to the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State
Employees), the amount of the remuneration depends on the salary grade
(Entgeltgruppe), which reflects the level of formal qualification, and the salary
scale (Entgeltstufe), which reflects the level of experience with the same
employer.
These features are combined to result in the salary table (Entgelttabelle).
(i) Salary Grades
There are 15 salary grades. They are organised from E1 to E15 and the grades
have similar characteristics to that of the Collective Agreement for the Public
Service (Federal State Employees).
E 1 to E 4 Semi-skilled and unskilled occupations
E 5 to E 8 At least three years of education (vocational education)
E 9 to E 12 Technical college or undergraduate university education
E 13 to E 15 Academic university education or Masters
Examples of the type of jobs within each scale include:
E 15 Manager of an authority with, for example, 200,000
25
residents.
E 14 Manager of an authority with, for example, 200,000
residents.
E 13 Local authority engineer
Manager of an authority with, for example, 50,000 residents
E 12 Local authority engineer
Manager of an authority with, for example, 50,000 residents
E 11 Engineer, Administrator
E 10 Engineer, Administrator, IT-Professional
E 9 Administrator, IT-Professional
E 8 Administrator, Foreman
E 7 Nurse
E 6 Fireman
Food inspector
E 5 Skilled work, e.g. gardener/horticulturist
Administrator
Food inspector
E 4 Sewerage worker
E 3 Administrator
Gardener
E 2 Cleaner
E 1 Cloakroom staff
Ancillary staff
(ii) Salary Scales
Again, similar to the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State
Employees), there are 6 different scales, each of which reflects the level of experience
with the same employer. The entry level is Scale 1 for grade of workers classified
according to the salary scale of E 2 to E 15. The promotion to the next level generally
occurs according to the length of work experience with the same employer. The
promotion to Scale 2 is possible after one year, to Scale 3 after two years in Scale 2,
26
to Scale 4 after three years in Scale 3, etc. The length of the time of the promotion
from Scale 3 can be extended or shortened depending on experience.
However, there is a different arrangement for those workers who are classified as E 1
according to the salary. The entry level for these workers is at Scale 2. The promotion
to the next stage is after four years at each stage, i.e. promotion to Scale 3 is after four
years in Stage 2, promotion to Stage 4 is after four years in Scale 3, etc.
This is summarised in the following table:
(iii) Salary Table
The salary scale, with the 15 different salary grades, are combined with the 6 different
salary stages stages to form the salary table. The 15 salary grades are found in
descending order along the left hand side of the table while the 6 salary stages are
found in ascending order across the top of the table.
(a) Federal Table
€ 1 2 3 4 5 6
E 15 3854.22 4276.25 4433.37 4994.56 5421.05
E 14 3490.57 3872.17 4096.65 4433.37 4949.66
E 13 3217.84 3569.14 3759.95 4130.31 4646.61
E 12 2884.50 3198.76 3647.70 4040.54 4545.61
E 11 2783.48 3086.54 3311.00 3647.70 4135.94
E 10 2682.46 2974.28 3198.76 3423.24 3849.73
E 9 2369.33 2626.34 2761.04 3120.19 3400.79
E 8 2217.81 2457.99 2570.24 2671.25 2783.48 2854.19
E 7 2076.40 2300.86 2446.77 2559.01 2643.19 2721.76
Salary
Scale
Scales
1 2 3 4 5 6
E 1 Does not
exist
At
appointment
After four
years in
Stage 2
After four
years in
Stage 3
After four
years in
Stage 4
After four
years in
Stage 5
E 2 to E
15
At
appointment
After one year
in Stage 1 After two
years in
Stage 2
After three
years in
Stage 3
After four
years in
Stage 4
After five
years in
Stage 5
27
E 6 2035.98 2255.96 2368.20 2474.83 2547.79 2620.75
E 5 1950.67 2160.57 2267.19 2373.82 2452.39 2508.51
E 4 1854.15 2053.94 2188.62 2267.19 2345.76 2391.77
E 3 1823.87 2020.26 2076.40 2166.18 2233.53 2295.26
E 2 1682.43 1863.13 1919.25 1975.38 2098.82 2227.91
E 1
1499.50 1526.43 1560.11 1591.52 1672.33
This table is valid from 1 March 2012 to 31 December 2012.
(b) Local Authorities Table
€ 1 2 3 4 5 6
E 15Ü
4915.99 5449.11 5954.18 6290.91 6369.47
E 15 3854.22 4276.25 4433.37 4994.56 5421.05 5701.65
E 14 3490.57 3872.17 4096.65 4433.37 4949.66 5230.25
E 13 3217.84 3569.14 3759.95 4130.31 4646.61 4859.87
E 12 2884.50 3198.76 3647.70 4040.54 4545.61 4770.08
E 11 2783.48 3086.54 3311.00 3647.70 4135.94 4360.41
E 10 2682.46 2974.28 3198.76 3423.24 3849.73 3950.75
E 9 2369.33 2626.34 2761.04 3120.19 3400.79 3625.26
E 8 2217.81 2457.99 2570.24 2671.25 2783.48 2854.19
E 7 2076.40 2300.86 2446.77 2559.01 2643.19 2721.76
E 6 2035.98 2255.96 2368.20 2474.83 2547.79 2620.75
E 5 1950.67 2160.57 2267.19 2373.82 2452.39 2508.51
E 4 1854.15 2053.94 2188.62 2267.19 2345.76 2391.77
E 3 1823.87 2020.26 2076.40 2166.18 2233.53 2295.26
E 2Ü 1743.03 1930.48 1997.83 2087.61 2149.34 2195.37
E 2 1682.43 1863.13 1919.25 1975.38 2098.82 2227.91
E 1
1499.50 1526.43 1560.11 1591.52 1672.33
The Ü after some numbers in the above table, for instance after 2, 13 and 15, stands
for workers who were on a higher rate under previous collective agreements and now
remain on this higher rate. This guarantees that no worker earns less under the current
collective agreement than the previous agreement.
This table is valid from 1 March 2012 to 31 December 2012.
28
4.2.2. Bonus Payments
(i) Annual Special Payment
Under the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local
Authorities), there is an Annual Special Payment. This is similar to that under the
Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees). This
payment is paid out annually in combination with the November wages. The
requirement for being paid is the existence of an employment relationship on the
1st of December of the previous year. The basis of assessment for the payment is
the average salary for the months of July, August and September, or the first
month’s salary if the employment relationship begins after the 31st of August.
For every month of the current year where there is no salary, the Annual Special
Payment is reduced by one-twelfth. There is a distinction in the payment between
those workers in the former West and former East German states.
(ii) Performance-related Bonuses
There are three forms of performance-related bonuses: performance bonus;
success bonus; and performance allowance.27
(a) Performance Bonus
This is generally a once-off payment, and as a general rule, it is paid out due to
the performance of a target. There must initially be a statement of the target
and if that target is reached or achieved, then the bonus is paid out.
(b) Success Bonus
As the name suggests, the payment of the bonus is dependent on the
achievement of a particular success. It can be combined with the performance
27
Art. 18 IV Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities).
Collective
Agreement
(W. Germany)
Collective
Agreement
(E. Germany)
E 1 to E 8 90 % 67,5 %
E 9 to E 12 80 % 60 %
E 13 to E 15 60 % 45 %
29
bonus or the performance allowance. It is generally only in place where the
actual success can be economically measured and therefore it does not play a
large role in public service organisations.
(c) Performance Allowance
The Performance Allowance differentiates itself in a number of ways from the
Performance Bonus and the Success Bonus. The Performance Allowance is
paid monthly and it is revocable and it is only for a limited period of time. The
basis of the Performance Allowance is either the reaching of a target
agreement or due to a systemic performance evaluation.
The rates of the bonuses can be up to a maximum of 8% of salary in a given
year.28
The rates depend on the individual agreements.29
(iii) Capital Accumulation Benefit
This payment is for the benefit of an employee savings scheme. Workers are
entitled to it after 6 months of work. It consists of a monthly payment of €6.65.30
It is reduced for part-time workers according to the hours of work they perform.
(iv) Special Payments
Workers receive an Anniversary Payment (Jubiläumsgeld)31
of:
€350 after 25 years
€500 after 40 years
In the case of death of a worker, whose employment relationship still exists, there
exists a Death Benefit (Sterbegeld)32 for the husband, wife, civil partner or
children of the worker. The payment consists of the salary of the rest of the month
of death as well as the salary for two further months.
4.2.3. Working Time
The average regular weekly working hours are as follows:
28
Art. 18 II Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 29
Art. 18 VI Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 30
Art. 23 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 31
Art. 23 s. 2 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 32
Art. 23 s. 3 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities).
30
Area Time
Federal 39:00
Local authorities in Baden-Württemberg 39:00
Local authorities in Bavaria 39:00
Local authorities in Brandenburg 40:00
Local authorities in Bremen 39:00
Local authorities in Hamburg 40:00
Local authorities in Hessen 39:00
Local authorities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 40:00
Local authorities in Lower Saxony 39:00
Local authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia 39:00
Local authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate 39:00
Local authorities in Saarland 39:00
Local authorities in Saxony 40:00
Local authorities in Saxony-Anhalt 40:00
Local authorities in Schleswig-Holstein 39:00
Local authorities in Thuringia 40:00
4.2.4. Annual Leave
Workers have an entitlement to the following days of annual leave for 2012:
Until the end of the 30th
year of age – 26 days
Until the end of the 40th
year of age – 29 days
After the end of the 40th
year of age – 30 days
However, from 2013, there is a new system:
Before the end of the 55th
year of age – 29 days
As of the end of the 55th
year of age – 30 days
There is also additional leave for workers, who are permanently on rotating shift
work or shift work.33
The same distinction, as in the Collective Agreement for the
Public Service (Federal State Employees) between rotating shift work and shift
33
Art. 27 s.1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities).
31
work, also exists in the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National
Level and Local Authorities). Rotating shift work consists of alternating work
shifts which are continually worked by day and night, Sundays and bank holidays.
Shift work consists of a regular change to the start of a working day of at least two
hours.
There is an extra day of annual leave for:
Rotating shift workers for every two months in succession;
Shift workers for every four months in succession.34
In the case of those rotating shift workers or shift workers who are not
permanently on shift work, there is an additional day of annual leave for:
Rotating shift workers for every three months in the year, in which they
predominately work rotating shift work;
Shift workers for every five months in the year, in which they
predominately work shift work.35
There is a maximum of 6 additional days of annual leave per calendar year.36
There is also annual leave in the following circumstances:37
Childbirth of wife/civil partner – one day
Death of wife/husband/civil partner, a child or a parent – two days
Relocation for an official or work-related reason – one day
25 Year and 40 Year Work Anniversary – one day
Severe sickness of:
o a family member, as long as he/she lives in the same household –
one day.
o a child, who is not over the age of 12 – up to four days.
34
Art. 27 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 35
Art. 27 s. 2 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 36
Art. 27 s. 4 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities). 37
Art. 29 s. 1 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities).
32
C. Comparison between equivalent German and Irish Workers
After the in-depth description of the German Public Service, the earnings of a
selection of German workers at particular stages of their career will be compared with
equivalent Irish workers. It is important to note that the figures for the Irish salary
scales are that of the 2010 salary scales and if the new salary scales for new entrants
post-2011 were used, the figures would be even lower.
The five types of worker selected are:
an engineer with one year of service;
a primary school teacher with five years of service;
a pharmacist with 15 years of service;
a clerical officer with 25 years of service;
a social worker with 35 years of service.
1. Engineer with one year of service
(i) Germany
An engineer in Germany could be employed by either the state government or a
local authority. For the purposes of this study, we will take the case of a local
authority engineer so that means he/she would come under the terms of the
Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local
Authorities). As he/she is employed by a local authority, he/she will come under
the Local Authorities Table.
An engineer graduate with a qualification from a technical college is placed at
Grade 9 on the scale and if that person had previous experience, he/she could be
placed between Grade 9 and Grade 12. An engineer with a university qualification
can enter at Grade 13 but this depends on the value and/or significance of the job.
Therefore, it is quite difficult, for the purposes of this hypothetical study, to
determine at which grade the engineer will begin as it will depend on his/her level
of education, previous work experience and the responsibilities of the particular
job. We will take the case of a graduate from a technical college who is placed at
Grade 9, however it should be borne in mind that a university graduate is likely to
33
be placed at a higher grade and it all depends on the particular job. Grade 9 is
categorised as having more comprehensive technical knowledge and includes
occupations which require independent services, in some cases with increased
responsibility. Considering this particular engineer has completed one year of
service, he/she would be at Scale 2 in terms of career experience. This means,
according to the salary table, that this worker would be on a gross monthly salary
of €2,626.34. This equates to a gross annual salary of €31,516.08.
He/she would also be entitled to an Annual Special Payment of €2,101.07 paid
along with the November wages.
This, therefore, means that the gross annual salary would be €33,617.15.
(ii) Ireland
As we examined the case of a graduate engineer in a local authority in Germany,
we will also take the case of a graduate engineer in a local authority in Ireland.
The gross annual salary for a graduate engineer after one year’s service is
€35,437.
The gross annual salary minus the Public Service Pension Levy is €33,643.30.
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Engineers in Germany and Ireland
(a) Germany38
1
Scale Grade 9 – Gross Salary
(incl. Annual Special
Payment)
Scale Grade 10 - Gross Salary
(incl. Annual Special
Payment)
1 30,327.42 1 34,335.49
2 33,617.15 2 38,070.78
3 35,341.31 3 40,944.13
4 39,938.43 4 43,817.47
5 43,530.11 5 49,276.54
6 46,403.33 6 50,569.60
Grade 11 – Gross Grade 12 – Gross Salary
38
All figures taken from the German Public Service information website - http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/bund/
34
Salary (incl. Annual
Special Payment)
(incl. Annual Special
Payment)
1 35,628.54 1 36,921.60
2 39,507.71 2 40,944.13
3 42,380.80 3 46,690.56
4 46,690.56 4 51,718.91
5 52,940.03 5 58,183.81
6 55,813.25 6 61,057.02
Scale Grade 13 – Gross Salary
(incl. Annual Special
Payment)
1 40,544.78
2 44,971.16
3 47,375.37
4 52,041.91
5 58,547.29
6 61,234.36
(b) Ireland39
Graduate
Engineer
Assistant
Engineer
Executive
Engineer
Senior
Executive
Engineer
Senior
Engineer
County
Engineer
32,194 40,368 46,732 62,276 73,223 78,368
35,437 42,097 48,467 64,219 74,957 81,185
38,666 43,811 50,204 66,147 76,685 83,995
45,529 51,944 68,037 78,417 86,809
47,254 53,684 69,934 80,148 89,623
48,971 55,422 71,822 81,886 92,58340
50,687 57,162 73,726 84,50041
95,54042
52,408 58,893 76,11643
87,11744
54,136 60,639 78,50145
55,90346
62,372
39
All figures, which are the current scales from 2010, taken from the IMPACT website -
http://www.impact.ie/Your-Sector/Public-Sector/Local-Authorities/Salary-scales---local-authorities/Current-
local-authority-scales-2010/LA-Engineering-grades.htm 40
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. 41
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. 42
After six years satisfactory service at the maximum. 43
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. 44
After six years satisfactory service at the maximum. 45
After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.
34
57,67247
64,37148
66,35049
(c) Irish Salary Scales minus the Public Service Pension Levy
Graduate
Engineer
Assistant
Engineer
Executive
Engineer
Senior Executive Engineer
Senior Engineer
County Engineer
30,724.60 38,081.20 43,808.80 57,787.02 67,584.59 72,189.36
33,643.30 39,637.30 45,370.30 59,562.01 69,136.52 74,710.56
36,549.40 41,179.90 46,933.60 61,251.57 70,683.08 77,125.53
42,726.10 48,499.60 62,943.12 72,233.22 79,744.06
44,278.60 50,065.60 64,640.93 73,782.46 82,262.59
45,823.90 51,629.80 66,435.69 75,237.97 84,911.79
47,368.30 53,195.80 68,034.77 77,677.50 87,558.30
48,917.20 54,753.70 70,173.82 80,019.72
50,472.40 56,321.90 72,308.40
52,062.70 57,872.94
53,654.80 59,662.04
61,433.25
46
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. 47
After six years satisfactory service at the maximum. 48
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. 49
After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.
35
2. A primary school teacher with five years of service
(i) Germany
A primary school teacher in Germany would generally be employed as a civil
servant (Beamte) in the former Western states but generally under the Collective
Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State Employees) by the federal
government in the former Eastern states. For the purposes of this study, we will
take the case of a primary school teacher who is a civil servant. According to the
classification of the salary scale in the Pay Group A of the Civil Servant Salary
Grade Classification, a primary school teacher would come in under Grade A 13.
A primary school with five years of service would at Scale 3 in terms of career
experience. This means, according to the salary table, that this worker would be
on a gross monthly salary of €4057.51. This equates to a gross annual salary of
€48,690.12. He/she would also be entitled to an Annual Special Payment of
€2,434.51. This, therefore, means that the gross annual salary would be
€51,124.63.
(ii) Ireland
In Ireland, a primary school teacher is employed by a Board of Management in a
school and paid by the Department of Education and Skills. The gross annual
salary after five years of service, if the person was employed before 1st January
2011, would be €45,558. (8th
point of the scale with honours primary degree
allowance)
The gross annual salary minus the Public Service Pension Levy is €42,752.
If appointed from September 2012, the gross annual salary after 5 years’ service
would be €37,795 (9th
point) or minus the pension levy €35,765.
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Primary School Teachers in Germany and
Ireland
(a) Germany
As a civil servant (generally in former West German states):
36
Scale Grade A 13 Civil Servant
Gross Salary (incl. Annual
Special Payment)
1 46,508.99
2 48,823.61
3 51,124.63
4 53,439.12
5 55,032.14
6 56,638.76
7 58,231.53
8 59,797.33
As a regular Public Service employee under the Collective Agreement for the
Public Service (Federal State Employees) (generally in the former East German
states):
Scale Grade 13 Collective
Agreement for the Public
Service (Federal State
Employees) - Gross Salary
(incl. Annual Special
Payment)
1 34,785.58
2 38,521.22
3 41,305.95
4 45,516.87
5 51,629.76
(b) Ireland
Figures are taken from the INTO website.50
50
http://www.into.ie/ROI/InformationforTeachers/Salaries/CommonBasicScales/
37
It is important to note that no qualification allowances apply to this post 01/02/2012 scale.
Point on Scale Appointees Pre 01/01/2011
Without
Pension
Levy
Reductions
With Pension
Levy
Reductions
1 30,904 29,563.60
2 31,972 30,524.80
3 33,041 31,486.90
4 34,113 32,451.70
5 35,775 33,947.50
6 36,853 34,917.70
7 37,929 35,886.10
8 40,640 38,326.00
9 41,994 39,544.60
10 43,612 41,000.80
11 45,222 42,449.80
12 46,844 43,909.60
13 48,200 45,130.00
14, 15, 16 49,996 46,746.40
17, 18, 19, 20 52,472 48,974.80
21, 22, 23, 24 55,744 51,919.60
25 59,359 55,173.10
Point on Scale Appointees Post 01/02/2012
Without
Pension
Levy
Reductions
With Pension
Levy
Reductions
1 30,702 29,381.80
2 32,198 30,728.20
3 33,168 31,601.20
4 34,136 32,472.40
5 36,576 34,668.40
6 37,795 35,765.50
7 39,251 37,075.90
8 40,700 38,380.00
9 42,160 39,694.00
10 43,380 40,792.00
11, 12, 13 44,996 42,246.40
14, 15, 16, 17 47,225 44,252.50
18, 19, 20, 21 50,170 46,903.00
22 53,423 49,830.70
38
Academic and Other Allowances51
Pre 01/01/2011 figures are taken from Circular 0004/2010
Post 01/01/2011 figures are taken from Circular 0040/2011
Appointees Pre
01/01/2011
Appointees
Post
01/01/2011
€ €
(a) (i) H Dip in Ed (Pass) 591 532
(a) (ii) Higher Froebel Cert 591 532
(b) (i) H Dip in Ed (1st/2nd
Hons) 1,236 1,112
(b) (ii) Ard Teastas Gaeilge 1,236 1,112
(c) Primary Degree (Pass) 1,842 1,658
(d) Masters Degree by Thesis
or Exam (Pass) 4,918 4,426
(e) Primary Degree (1st/
2nd/3rd Class Hons*) 4,918 4,426
(f) Masters Degree (1st/2nd
Hons) 5,496 4,946
(g) Doctors Degree 6,140 5,526
Special Education Diplomas 2,437 2,193
Only one of the allowances at (a) or (b) may be held together with one of the
allowances (c) to (g).
Other Allowances
Appointed Pre
1 January 2011
Appointed
Post 1 January
2011
Teachers on Max. Point of
Common Basic Scale For At
Least 10 years
2,324 2,091
Teaching Through Irish 1,583 1,424
Gaeltacht Grant 3,063 2,757
Island Allowance 1,842 1,658
Substitute Teachers
Effective Date Rate
Appointed on or after 1 January 2011 €164.26
Appointed before 1 January 2011 €195.33
51
All figures taken from the INTO website:
http://www.into.ie/ROI/InformationforTeachers/Salaries/AcademicandOtherAllowances/
39
3. A pharmacist with fifteen years of service
(i) Germany
A pharmacist in Germany would generally be employed by the state government,
so that means he/she would come under the terms of the Collective Agreement for
the Public Service (Federal State Employees). According to the classification of
the salary scale in the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (Federal State
Employees), a pharmacist would come in under Grade 14. This grade includes
employees, who have completed academic university education and employees,
who are superior to at least three employees of Scale 13 or their tasks embrace
particular difficulty and importance. A pharmacist with fifteen years of service
would be at Scale 6 in terms of career experience. This means, according to the
salary table, that this worker would be on a gross monthly salary of €4900.78.
This equates to a gross annual salary of €58,809.36.
He/she would also be entitled to an Annual Special Payment of €1,715.27 paid
along with the November wages. This, therefore, means that the gross annual
salary would be €60,524.63.
(ii) Ireland
In Ireland, a pharmacist would generally be employed by the Department of
Health. After fifteen years of service as a pharmacist, he/she would most likely
have progressed to become a Senior Pharmacist. The gross annual salary would be
€63,093.
The gross annual salary minus the Public Service Pension Levy is €58,518.23.
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Pharmacists in Germany and
Ireland
(a) Germany
Scale Grade 14 Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service (Federal
State Employees) -
Scale Grade 15 Collective Agreement for
the Public Service (Federal State
Employees): Pharmacists with four
more junior pharmacists working
40
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
under them. Gross Annual Salary
(incl. Annual Special Payment)
1 42,683.33 1 47,143.53
2 47,343.23 2 52,269.65
3 50,072.70 3 54,200.20
4 54,200.20 4 61,057.29
5 60,524.63 5 66,249.97
(b) Ireland52
Pharmacy Student – 24,031
Pharmacist Pharmacist, Senior Pharmacist, Chief II Pharmacist, Chief I
35,368 59,427 66,883 75,739
38,265 62,204 71,237 79,212
41,016 63,093 73,781 80,573
43,799 63,979 76,926 82,456
46,595 65,086 80,286 84,544
49,425 66,325 83,763 86,674
52,271 67,641
55,171 69,936
58,122
61,130
62,33853
(c) Irish Salary Scales minus the Public Service Pension Levy
Pharmacist Pharmacist, Senior Pharmacist, Chief II Pharmacist, Chief I
33,581.20 55,234.30 61,910.28 69,836.40
36,188.50 57,722.58 65,807.11 72,944.74
52
All figures taken from the IMPACT website– current scales (2010). These figures do not include the Public
Service Pension Levy reductions. 53
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum.
41
38,664.40 58,518.23 68,084.00 74,162.83
41,169.10 59,311.20 70,898.77 75,848.12
43,685.50 60,301.97 73,905.97 77,716.88
46,232.50 61,410.87 77,017.88 79,623.23
48,793.90 62,588.69
51,403.90 64,642.72
54,059.80
56,761.35
57,842.51
42
4. A clerical officer with twenty-five years of service
(i) Germany
It is first of all important to note that the grade of clerical officer is a difficult one
to adequately translate and the role of the job varies widely between countries. A
clerical officer in Germany, approximately translated as Büroangestellte/r, could
be employed either on a federal, state or municipal level. For the purposes of this
study, we will take the case of a clerical officer working for a municipal office.
Therefore, he/she will come under the terms of the Collective Agreement for the
Public Service (National Level and Local Authorities).54
According to the
classification of the salary scale in the Collective Agreement for the Public
Service (National Level and Local Authorities), a clerical officer/administrative
assistant could be in Grade E 3, E 5 or E 8. If we take the case of someone who
has at least three years of secondary education, they would have entered at Grade
E 5. After reaching Scale 6 in Grade E 5, after 15 years, they would then progress
to Grade E 8. After a further 10 years of employment, i.e. twenty-five years of
total employment, they would be on Scale 5. This means, according to the salary
table, that this worker would be on a gross monthly salary of €2,783.48. This
equates to a gross annual salary of €33,401.76.
He/she would also be entitled to an Annual Special Payment of €2,505.13 paid
along with the November wages.
This, therefore, means that the gross annual salary would be €35,906.89.
(ii) Ireland
In Ireland, a clerical officer could also be employed in various different areas, for
instance, local authorities, civil service, health, etc.
We will take the case of a clerical officer working for the civil service in Ireland.
After twenty-five years of service as a clerical officer, the gross annual salary
would be €35,515.
The gross annual salary minus the Public Service Pension Levy is €33,713.50.
54
http://www.gew.de/Gehaltstabellen_fuer_Angestellte.html
43
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Clerical Officers in Germany and
Ireland
(a) Germany
Scale Grade E 3 Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) -
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
Grade E 5 Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) -
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
Grade E 8 Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) -
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
1 23,527.92 25,163.64 28,609.75
2 26,061.35 27,871.35 31,708.07
3 26,785.56 29,246.75 33,156.10
4 28,812.54 30,622.28 34,459.13
5 28,812.54 31,635.83 35,906.89
6 29,608.85 32,359.78 36,819.05
(b) Ireland55
Clerical Officer –
Standard Scale
Clerical Officer –
Higher Scale
22,015 23.042
23,042 24,071
24,071 25,100
25,100 26,128
26,128 27,156
27,156 28,183
28,183 29,193
29,193 30,191
55
All figures taken from the IMPACT website – current scales (2010).
44
30,191 31,192
31,192 32,187
32,187 33,735
33,735 34,954
34,95456
35,515
35,51557
36,267
(c) Irish Salary Scales minus the Public Service Pension Levy
Clerical Officer –
Standard Scale
Clerical Officer –
Higher Scale
21,563.50 22,487.80
22,487.80 23,413.90
23,413.90 24,340.00
24,340.00 25,265.20
25,265.20 26,190.40
26,190.40 27,114.70
27,114.70 28,023.70
28,023.70 28,921.90
28,921.90 29,822.80
29,822.80 30,718.30
30,718.30 32,111.50
32,111.50 33,208.60
33,208.60 33,713.50
33,713.50 34,390.30
56
After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. 57
After six years satisfactory service with the “barrier”.
45
5. A social worker with thirty-five years of service
(i) Germany
A social worker in Germany would come under the terms of the special Social
Services table of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level
and Local Authorities). This special table has 18 grades instead of the 15 grades in
the regular table. According to the classification of the salary scale in the
Collective Agreement for the Public Service (National Level and Local
Authorities) for Social Services, a social worker would come in originally under
Grade 11.58
This grade, along with Grade 12, is for social workers with state
recognition and the appropriate skill level. The promotion to Grade 14
encompasses those social workers with state recognition who have to take
decision to avoid the endangerment of children and take decisions, in cooperation
with the family courts, to force the institutionalisation of people with a psychiatric
illness.59
Grade 15 is for those social workers with at least one-third more
difficulty and significance than Grade 12.60
Grade 17 is the next promotion for
social workers whose position has more difficulty and significance than Grade 12.
61 Grade 18 is the final promotion and there involves a significantly extra degree
of responsibility from Grade 17.62
A social worker with thirty five years of service
would likely have progressed to either Grade 17 or Grade 18. For the purposes of
this study, we will presume that they have reached Grade 17 and Scale 6, i.e. the
stage before the final promotion to Grade 18. This means, according to the salary
table, that this worker would be on a gross monthly salary of €4,378.86. This
equates to a gross annual salary of €52,546.32. He/she would also be entitled to an
Annual Special Payment of €3,503.09 paid along with the November wages.
This, therefore, means that the gross annual salary would be €56,049.41.63
(ii) Ireland
58
http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/sue/entgeltordnung-s11.html 59
http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/sue/entgeltordnung-s14.html 60
http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/sue/entgeltordnung-s15.html 61
http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/sue/entgeltordnung-s17.html 62
http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/sue/entgeltordnung-s18.html 63
http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/c/t/rechner/tvoed/sue?id=tvoed-sue&g=S_17&s=6&zv=keine&z=100&zulage=&stj=2012&stkl=1&r=0&zkf=0&kk=15.5%25
46
After thirty five years of service as a social worker in Ireland, he/she would most
likely have progressed to become a team leader social worker. The gross annual
salary would be €65,506.
The gross annual salary minus the Public Service Pension Levy is €60,677.87.
(iii) Full Career Salary Breakdown for Social Workers in Germany and
Ireland
(a) Germany
Scale Grade 11 – Social
Services Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) –
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
Grade 12 – Social
Services Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) –
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
Grade 14 – Social
Services Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) –
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
1 31,176.19 32,531.71 33,887.23
2 35,242.62 35,920.38 36,598.02
3 37,004.80 39,173.50 39,986.82
4 41,342.34 42,019.97 42,697.73
5 44,731.14 45,544.19 46,086.53
6 46,764.29 47,035.26 48,458.62
Scale Grade 15 – Social
Services Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) –
Grade 17 – Social
Services Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) –
Grade 18 – Social
Services Collective
Agreement for the
Public Service
(National Level and
Local Authorities) –
47
(b) Ireland64
Social Worker Professionally Qualified Social
Worker, Medical Social Worker,
Psychiatric Social Worker
Social Work
Practitioner, Senior
35,945 43,132 48,157
37,841 45,242 50,318
39,802 47,351 52,509
41,767 49,462 54,693
43,723 51,570 56,869
45,707 53,677 59,039
47,666 55,789 61,206
49,171 56,889 62,307
50,680
51,680
64
All figures taken from the IMPACT website – current scales (2010).
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
Gross Salary (incl.
Annual Special
Payment)
1 34,293.76 36,598.02 40,664.58
2 37,953.54 40,325.63 42,019.97
3 40,664.58 44,731.14 47,442.05
4 43,782.14 47,442.05 51,508.35
5 48,797.57 52,863.87 57,608.19
6 50,966.27 56,049.41 61,335.68
Social Worker,
Senior
Medical/Single
Handed
Social Worker, Team
Leader
Social Worker, Principal
55,789 55,789 63,886
57,408 57,408 66,754
48
(c) Irish Salary Scales including Public Service Pension Levy Reductions
Social Worker Professionally Qualified Social
Worker, Medical Social Worker,
Psychiatric Social Worker
Social Work
Practitioner, Senior
34,100.50 40,568.80 45,092.30
35,806.90 42,467.80 47,036.20
37,571.80 44,371.30 49,008.10
39,340.30 46,265.80 50,973.70
41,100.70 45,096.70 52,932.10
42,886.30 50,059.30 54,885.10
44,649.40 51,960.10 56,829.37
46,003.90 52,950.10 57,814.76
47,362
48,262
59,028 59,028 69,576
60,648 60,648 72,399
62,266 62,266 75,221
63,886 63,886 78,047
65,506 65,506
Social Worker,
Senior
Medical/Single
Handed
Social Worker, Team
Leader
Social Worker, Principal
51,960.10 51,960.10 57,778.07
53,417.20 53,417.20 61,794.83
54,875.20 54,875.20 64,320.52
56,329.96 56,329.96 66,847.10
57,778.07 57,778.07 69,372.79
59,227.97 59,227.97 71,902.06
60,677.87 60,677.87
49
D. Conclusion
This report has provided an analysis of the German public service and a comparison
of the basic pay, bonus payments, working time and annual leave for German public
servants with that of Irish public servants.
Despite the difficulties and complexities in making a comparison of salary levels in
different countries, this report has provided a thorough comparison of the pay of a
specific group of workers after a specific period of service in both Germany and
Ireland.
The main findings of the report include:
Clerical officers in Ireland are paid a lower starting and final salary than their
German counterparts.
The starting and final salary of primary school teachers is higher in Germany
than Ireland.
With the Pension Levy reductions included, a pharmacist in Ireland earns less
than a pharmacist in Germany after fifteen years of service.
When we take into account the large difference in the cost of living and vastly better
public services in Germany, it is clear from the findings of this report that Irish
salaries are in actual fact quite similar to German salaries, which contradicts many of
the media reports about the perceived high pay of Irish public servants.
