The TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) applies to employees of the German federal government and most cities and municipalities. It defines grading, pay, working time, holidays, special payments and notice periods for millions of employees – including educators, administrative staff, nurses, social workers, technical professions and IT specialists.
Pay is set through grades (E1 to E15) and experience steps (1 to 6). New entrants are placed in step 1 or 2; with experience, the step rises automatically or through performance milestones. Higher grades come with greater responsibility or different duties. For example, E9b at step 3 corresponds to a clearly defined gross salary, complemented by an annual special payment and an occupational pension via VBL.
Beyond pay, TVöD enshrines key protections: 30 days of holiday, six weeks of continued pay during illness, transparent appraisal systems. Most contracts are open-ended, and dismissals are strongly protected procedurally.
Lunigi curates many roles from this area. Coverage by a collective agreement is among the most important quality signals for candidates seeking stability and predictable career paths.