Germany: first day at work, documents, contract and payslip
From the offer to the first payslip: what to do and check, in order, when you start a job as an employee in Germany.
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Time: from signing to the first 3 months
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Before signing
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For €3,000 gross in tax class 1, no children and no church tax, it is €2,054.42 net (2026): the gross-to-net calculator uses your numbers.
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It can be more favorable than the law; the written statement must include a general note on applicable collective agreements (§ 2 NachwG).
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A fixed term needs writing (§ 14 para. 4 TzBfG); the statement then gives the end date or the foreseeable duration (§ 2 NachwG).
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It must be agreed and lasts six months at most; during it a notice period of two weeks applies (§ 622 para. 3 BGB).
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Length of leave, special payments and the promise of a company pension are among the items in the statement (§ 2 NachwG).
The documents
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With the tax ID, the employer retrieves your wage tax features: tax class, child allowances, church tax (§ 39e EStG).
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The employer needs it for the social security registration.
The first day
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Pay, working time and parties by the first working day at the latest; start, place, duties and probation on the seventh day; the rest after a month (§ 2 NachwG).
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The employer must instruct you on hiring, before you start work and during working hours (§ 12 ArbSchG).
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More than six hours of work: a 30-minute break; more than nine hours: 45; eleven hours of rest between two working days (§§ 4, 5 ArbZG).
The first payslip
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It must be given in text form, with the pay period, the make-up of the pay and the type and amount of deductions (§ 108 GewO).
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Wrong features cost money every month; they come from the electronic wage tax features (§ 39e EStG).
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For €3,000 gross (class 1, no children, 2026): €279.00 pension, €39.00 unemployment, €262.50 health, €72.00 long-term care, plus €293.08 wage tax.
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By law at least 24 working days (Monday to Saturday) a year, or 20 days on a five-day week; the full entitlement arises after six months (§§ 3, 4 BUrlG).
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In 2026 it is €13.90 gross per hour, from 2027 €14.60 (Federal Government).
In the first months
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You need them for the tax return, for benefit applications and in disputes over pay.
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Some contracts and collective agreements set exclusion periods after which claims lapse: read what your contract says.
First payslip checked
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Good to know
- This list gives the order of the things to do and check; the exact rules depend on your contract and any collective agreement, which can be more favorable than the law.
- The probation period must be agreed and lasts six months at most; during it a notice period of two weeks applies (§ 622 para. 3 BGB). A fixed term needs writing (§ 14 para. 4 TzBfG).
- Working time may not exceed eight hours on a working day; it can be extended to up to ten hours if an average of eight hours is not exceeded within six calendar months or 24 weeks (§ 3 ArbZG).
- The example numbers are for 2026, tax class 1, no children, no church tax and an additional contribution of 2.9%.
- The list is for private-sector employees: internships, apprenticeships, mini-jobs, civil servants and work in a private household have their own rules.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents do I need on the first day?
An ID (for non-EU nationals the residence permit allowing employment), the tax identification number with the date of birth, the social security number, proof of the health insurance fund, the bank details and, depending on the job, certificates and qualifications.
How long can the probation period be?
Six months at most (§ 622 para. 3 BGB). It must be agreed; during it both sides can give notice with two weeks’ notice.
Does the employment contract have to be in writing?
The employer must put the essential terms in writing, sign and hand them over (§ 2 NachwG): pay, working time and parties by the first working day at the latest, much else on the seventh day, the rest after a month. A fixed term needs writing (§ 14 para. 4 TzBfG).
How much leave am I entitled to?
By law at least 24 working days (Werktage) a year, or 20 working days on a five-day week (§ 3 BUrlG). The full entitlement first arises after six months (§ 4 BUrlG); the contract or a collective agreement may provide more.
How much of a break do I have to take?
At least 30 minutes for more than six and up to nine hours of work, 45 minutes for more than nine hours, in blocks of at least 15 minutes; at least eleven hours of rest must follow the end of work (§§ 4, 5 ArbZG).
What is the minimum wage?
Since January 1, 2026 the statutory minimum wage is €13.90 gross per hour, rising to €14.60 in 2027 (Federal Government).
What if I do not get a payslip?
Ask for it in writing: the employer must give a payslip in text form when paying the wages (§ 108 GewO); it can be skipped only if nothing has changed since the last one.
Next step
I’m not an accountant or a financial advisor. This is an estimate, for information only. Check with a professional before you decide.
- The calculatorGermany salary calculator 2026: gross to net
- The guide, in a few minutesGermany: from gross to net, how to read your payslip
- The calculatorGermany: notice period calculator
Sources
- § 2 NachwG — Duty to give notice: essential contract terms in writing, deadlines on the first day, the seventh day and after a month (in German)
- § 622 BGB — Notice periods in employment relationships (paragraph 3: probation period) (in German)
- § 14 TzBfG — Admissibility of fixed terms (paragraph 4: written form) (in German)
- § 108 GewO — Statement of pay (in German)
- §§ 3, 4, 5 ArbZG — Working time, breaks, rest period (in German)
- § 12 ArbSchG — Instruction (in German)
- § 3 BUrlG — Length of leave; § 4 — Waiting period (in German)
- § 39e EStG — Electronic wage tax deduction features (in German)
- Federal Government — Minimum wage raised to €13.90 in 2026 and €14.60 in 2027 (in German)
For questions about the contract and the payslip, the HR department, the works council, a union or a specialist employment lawyer can help.