Holiday pay & Christmas pay in the metal industry

Besides T-Zug, the ERA agreement includes two more annual special payments: Urlaubsgeld (holiday pay) and Weihnachtsgeld (Christmas pay).

Holiday pay (Urlaubsgeld)

The collectively agreed holiday pay is about 69% of a monthly income including the Leistungszulage and overtime pay. It accrues as 2.4% per holiday day; with the usual 30 holiday days this produces the roughly 69% quoted. In North Rhine-Westphalia the rate is higher at 72%. Holiday pay is usually paid out in June or July.

Christmas pay (Weihnachtsgeld)

Christmas pay is staggered by tenure: it starts at 25% of a monthly income and rises by 10 percentage points per full year of employment, capped at 55%. After roughly three to four years with the company you reach the maximum. It is calculated on the monthly income including the Leistungszulage.

At a glance

The currently valid special payments with amount and payment month:

Because holiday and Christmas pay are tied to your monthly income, your pay grade and Leistungszulage directly affect their size. Your personal annual figure including both payments is worked out in the salary calculator; the base values are in the pay scales.