Christmas bonus: Analysis shows who will benefit particularly in 2022 and who will get nothing

Created: 01/12/2022 17:38

By: Julia Hawener

Christmas bonus is usually paid with the November salary.

Collective employees receive it more often than employees in companies that are not bound by collective bargaining agreements.

© Imago Images/Christoph Hardt

The Christmas bonus usually comes with the November salary.

However, whether and how much bonus employees receive depends on a number of factors.

Stuttgart – For most employees, the Christmas bonus is more important than ever this year.

Because of the record inflation of more than ten percent, the cost of living is increasing in all areas.

But by no means all employees can look forward to the bonus.

According to an analysis by the Internet portal of the Hans Böckler Foundation, only 54 percent of employees in Germany receive a Christmas bonus.

However, there is one factor that significantly increases the chance of the special payment: the collective agreement.

Tariff employees receive more and more Christmas bonuses

In principle, not all employees in Germany are entitled to a Christmas bonus.

Like holiday pay, it is not regulated by law and is therefore a purely voluntary benefit.

However, under certain conditions, a claim can arise, as

reports:

• The Christmas bonus was firmly guaranteed in the employment contract.

• The Christmas bonus is in the collective agreement and the company is bound by the collective agreement.

• The employer has paid Christmas bonuses for at least three consecutive years.

  This is referred to as an 'operational exercise'”.

• The Christmas bonus was guaranteed in a works agreement.

• If all employees receive a Christmas bonus, some of them cannot be excluded.

  All employees must be treated equally.

In most cases, the extra money, which is often paid out with the November salary, can only be relied on if it has been contractually agreed.

For this reason, employees who are covered by collective bargaining agreements receive more Christmas bonuses more often than employees in companies that are not bound by collective bargaining agreements.

This is also shown by this year's survey by the Hans Böckler Foundation: 79 percent of all employees will receive a corresponding special payment at the end of the year in 2022.

Data from the Federal Statistical Office shows an even higher percentage of 85.7 percent.

On average they get paid 2747 euros/gross.

In companies without a collective agreement, on the other hand, only 42 percent can count themselves among the lucky ones.

According to the foundation, in addition to the collective bargaining agreement, there are other aspects that increase the chances of receiving a Christmas bonus: On the one hand, 56 percent of all employees in the west receive the special payment, while in the east only 43 percent.

In addition, women (52 percent) and part-time employees (50 percent) are paid the bonus less often than men (55 percent) and full-time employees (55 percent).

Christmas bonus 2022: These sectors pay their employees the most

How high the sum of the Christmas bonus is depends on various factors.

Most companies make it a percentage of the gross monthly salary, while others pay a lump sum or even a 13th monthly salary.

Porsche, for example, does the latter - even though the collective agreement only stipulates 25 to 55 percent of the monthly income.

The length of service can also have an impact on the total.

In principle, however, it can be said that it mainly depends on the industry.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, those who work in the "extraction of crude oil and natural gas" sector in Germany receive the most Christmas bonus on average, namely 5,504 euros/gross.

It looks similarly lucrative in the “coking plant and mineral oil processing” area: here the employees get 5,450 euros/gross.

In both areas, all employees receive a Christmas bonus.

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At the end of November, employees in the “manufacture of chemical products” with 5,100 euros/gross and “energy supply” with 5,263 euros/gross can also look forward to a lot of money.

In both areas, at 98.8% and 98.0% respectively, almost all employees are entitled to a Christmas bonus.

High Christmas bonuses have also been agreed for energy supply (EUR 5,263/gross) and for finance and insurance (EUR 4,198/gross).

The lowest Christmas bonuses are paid to employees in the area of ​​“placement and leasing of workers”, i.e. temporary workers.

Here, an average of 327 euros/gross is paid.

Regardless of how much Christmas bonus you get, it should be noted that the bonus, like vacation pay, is part of the so-called “other payments” and is taxable.

So how much ends up in the account also depends on the tax class.