For Citizens - Service Finder
Minimum wage
The minimum wage is currently EUR 8.84. It will be adjusted every two years, the next time on 1 January 2019.
Exceptions to the minimum wage requirement, which were partially allowed until 31 December 2017, are no longer permitted since 1 January 2018.
Components
The minimum wage is a gross wage. The minimum wage is defined as payments made by the employer which pay off the employee's 'normal activity'.
Payments received by an employee as compensation for benefits beyond that, allowances and additional benefits are not eligible. For example, wealth-effective benefits are not payable and therefore cannot be credited to the minimum wage.
Minimum wage telephone
Phone: +49 030 602800-28
Availability
Mon 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tue 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Wed 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Thu 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fax.:+49 228 99 527-2965
You are not entitled to a minimum wage if you:
- have not yet reached the age of 18 and are without completed vocational training,
- trainees under the Vocational Training Act, including pre-vocational training measures,
- volunteers,
- volunteer service,
- Participants in employment promotion measures are (e.B. 1-euro job),
- were long-term unemployed within the meaning of Paragraph 18 (1) of the SGB III, within the first six months,
- Homeworkers under the Homework Act are or
- are self-employed.
- As of January 1, 2015, a minimum wage of EUR 8.50 was in principle applied.
- Until 31.12.2016, wages below EUR 8.50 were only permitted if a collective agreement declared generally binding within the meaning of the Workers' Posting Act or a legal regulation under the Workers' Posting Act or the Workers' Hiring Act or the Workers' Hiring Act provides for this.
- Since 1 January 2017, the minimum wage for all employees has been EUR 8.84 and applies to all sectors (exception: newspaper delivery).
- Since 1 January 2018, the general statutory minimum wage of EUR 8.84 set by the Minimum Wage Commission has been valid without any restriction.
Special arrangements for certain categories of persons:
- Interns
As an intern, you are also entitled to a minimum wage in principle. However, so-called compulsory internships are excluded from the minimum wage, i.e. in particular those which you are required to perform on the basis of a school law provision, a training regulation or a provision of higher education law.
There is also no entitlement to the minimum wage for voluntary traineeships for vocational orientation purposes (orientation placements) or in training or study and do not last longer than 3 months. If such an internship lasts longer than 3 months, however, it must be paid from the first day with the minimum wage. In addition, the minimum wage does not apply to traineeships in the context of an entry-level qualification under SGB III and measures for vocational training preparation under the Vocational Training Act. Traineeships can be very individual. If you have specific questions, use your personal telephone advice.
- Trainees
People who are in vocational training do not receive a minimum wage. Their remuneration is governed by the Vocational Training Act.
- Low-employee
As a low-paid employee, you are entitled to a minimum wage. Of the gross wage, you only have to pay the share of 3.6% for the statutory pension insurance. An exemption from this is possible.
Employer's social security shares are not taken into account when calculating the minimum wage. The employer has to bear the contributions to statutory health insurance and to statutory pension insurance that accrue in the context of your mini-job – in addition to the gross hourly wage.
However, the employer may transfer the flat-rate tax of 2% of the salary to you.
- Part-time workers
Workers working part-time are also entitled to the minimum wage.
More detailed questions
- Piece and piece wages
Piece and piece wages are permitted if they ensure that workers receive the minimum wage for each hour actually worked.
- On-call times
On-call time must be remunerated with the minimum wage in accordance with general principles, in so far as, according to the case-law, they are to be regarded as working time subject to remuneration.
- One-off payments
One-off payments (such as .B.
Moreover, a one-off payment may also be made eligible in the form that it is distributed pro rata over several months and that the employee is actually and irrevocably paid at the time of the minimum wage. Christmas allowance, for example, could be taken into account in the calculation of the minimum wage to the extent that it is paid over the whole year with the monthly bills of one twelfth each at the latest at the end of the following month.
- Cross-border activities
The Minimum Wage Act applies to all employees employed in Germany. This is also the case for short-term employment in Germany (e.g. for passing lorry drivers).
- Food and lodging for seasonal work
Food and lodging are not cash benefits and therefore cannot be counted against the minimum wage. However, exceptions are possible for seasonal work. If you have any questions, please use the possibilities of a personal or telephone consultation tailored to your case.
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)