Payroll in Germany

11/13/24 • 29 min

Germany is Europe’s largest economy and a popular destination for investors, who appreciate its strategically central location and its history as a strong exporter nation. Known as a leader in engineering and manufacturing, it particularly relies on small and medium-sized businesses to drive growth and innovation. The country is also considered to be quite employee-friendly and has a robust social insurance system that’s also reflected in the complexity of its payroll.

That’s why running payroll in Germany requires a deep knowledge of employee rights—such as the role of workers’ councils—and government regulations. We speak to ADP experts Thomas Zimmerman and Johannes Schwarzer, who share their insights and create an in-depth picture of work and pay in Germany. We also catch up with Manuel, a teacher in Berlin who’s currently in the process of forming a workers’ council with his colleagues.

Timestamps

Intro [00:08]
What makes German payroll unique? [03:20]
Germany’s skilled labor shortage [08:42]
Germany’s regulatory landscape [11:20]
Digitalization efforts and how ADP is helping [13:02]
Data privacy [15:26]
Manuel’s story [17:03]
The role of workers’ councils [22:35]
Germany’s labor protection laws [24:55]
What do you find exciting about payroll in Germany? [26:44]

Credits

Executive Producers for ADP: Nicola Smith and Kate Allen
Executive Producer for Storythings: Matt Locke
Recorded, edited, mixed and mastered by: Chris Mitchell
Scripted and hosted by: Luisa Rollenhagen
Guest interview recorded by: Kaukab Shairani
Project Manager: Aimee Perrinjaquet

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timestamps

Intro [00:08]
What makes German payroll unique? [03:20]
Germany’s skilled labor shortage [08:42]
Germany’s regulatory landscape [11:20]
Digitalization efforts and how ADP is helping [13:02]
Data privacy [15:26]
Manuel’s story [17:03]
The role of workers’ councils [22:35]
Germany’s labor protection laws [24:55]
What do you find exciting about payroll in Germany? [26:44]

Credits

Executive Producers for ADP: Nicola Smith and Kate Allen
Executive Producer for Storythings: Matt Locke
Recorded, edited, mixed and mastered by: Chris Mitchell
Scripted and hosted by: Luisa Rollenhagen
Guest interview recorded by: Kaukab Shairani
Project Manager: Aimee Perrinjaquet

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Payroll in Brazil

Brazil is South America’s largest economy and has traditionally relied on agriculture and manufacturing, but sectors such as e-commerce are also starting to thrive. While this makes Brazil an attractive market for multinational businesses looking to gain a foothold in the South American continent, they’ll also need to contend with challenges surrounding the country’s rapidly changing legislative landscape and the prevalence of sector-specific unions, with the latest figures registering 8.4 million people as union members in jobs such as fast food restaurant employees, hotel cleaning staff, and bakery employees.

In this episode, we’re joined by ADP experts Beatriz Neves and Luiz Bernabe, who give us their best tips on navigating the country’s union landscape and dealing with rapidly changing laws, which can often come into effect retroactively. We’ll also talk about the role ADP Brazil’s own legal team plays in advising the government on legal changes, and how they help clients stay compliant. In addition, we speak to Jocinete, a hotel maid in São Paulo who’s a union member that represents hotel workers.

Timestamps

Intro [00:07]
The labor market in Brazil [04:42]
A rapidly changing legal landscape [05:56]
Explaining obligations and events [07:26]
What surprises clients about payroll in Brazil? [10:50]
How ADP helps clients stay compliant [13:27]
Jocinete’s story [18:30]
The role of unions in Brazil [21:20]
Looking towards the future [25:30]

Credits

Executive Producers for ADP: Nicola Smith and Kate Allen
Executive Producer for Storythings: Matt Locke
Recorded, edited, mixed and mastered by: Chris Mitchell
Scripted and hosted by: Luisa Rollenhagen
Guest interview recorded by: Lise Alves
Voiceover spoken by: Lise Alves
Project Manager: Aimee Perrinjaquet

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Payroll in the United States

With a gross domestic product of just over 28 trillion U.S. dollars, the United States continues to hold the title of the world’s largest economy. However, businesses coming to the United States must be aware of the fact that its 50 states effectively operate like 50 separate countries, each with its own labor laws, taxation requirements, and regulations. This can make compliance a bit tricky for multinationals, especially when employing people across various states.

We’re joined by ADP experts Dawn Wautier and Chris Acostandei as they guide us through common compliance pitfalls and explain what employers need to keep in mind when employing people across various states. We’ll also cover how healthcare benefits and retirement plans work in the U.S., and discuss how ADP’s team handles frequent legal changes, a common phenomenon in the country. We also speak to April, a nurse who lives in Florida but works in California, about the bureaucratic and financial challenges she faces when navigating her working arrangement.

Timestamps