1. The agreement sets the territory
Start with the collective agreement named in the contract or referenced by the employer: for example, TVöD Bund, TVöD-VKA, TV-L, or a sector agreement. Similar-looking group labels can carry different amounts and rules in different agreements. Always note the agreement and the version date of the pay table.
2. Entgeltgruppe describes the classification
The pay group usually connects to defined job characteristics, duties, responsibility, qualifications, or other criteria in the agreement. An employer’s internal title may help describe the role, but it does not replace those characteristics. Classification questions therefore need the actual duties, not just the title on an email signature.
3. Stufe places experience within the group
The experience step changes the table amount inside one pay group. Rules address entry steps, relevant previous experience, progression periods, and interruptions. A move to a higher group may also have its own step rule. This is why “E11” alone is not enough to identify a salary.
4. Working time scales the table amount
Tables generally show full-time monthly gross pay under the agreement’s working-time basis. Part-time pay is calculated proportionally, while overtime, shift rules, and time accounts require separate reading. Confirm the weekly hours in both the contract and the relevant agreement.
Around the map: additional payments
Annual special payments, capital-city or sector allowances, shift supplements, on-call pay, and employer benefits may sit outside base table pay. Some are guaranteed by the agreement; others depend on conditions or employer policy. Keep guaranteed, conditional, and discretionary amounts in separate columns when comparing offers.
What the map cannot decide
A guide cannot determine the correct classification without the relevant agreement and factual duties. Nor can it settle a dispute or replace legal advice. A pay classification check applies these coordinates to your documents and prepares the points that still need employer confirmation.