Germany approves €1,000 tax-free relief bonus for struggling workers
German Parliament Approves Tax-Free Relief Bonus of Up to €1,000 for Employees
The Bundestag has given the green light to a tax-free relief bonus of up to €1,000 for workers. Parliament approved an amendment to the Income Tax Act with votes from the center-left coalition, while the far-right AfD and the Left Party voted against it; the Greens abstained. The Bundesrat must still sign off on the measure, with a vote scheduled for May 8.
Under the plan, employers will be allowed to pay employees a tax-free "relief bonus" of up to €1,000 this year and until June 30, 2027. The draft law justifies the measure by citing the economic upheaval caused by the war in Iran, which is placing an increasing burden on many citizens in Germany.
The bonus is voluntary for employers. State governments have already announced that their employees will not receive a single cent of the €1,000 payment. There are also widespread concerns that the relief bonus could fizzle out before reaching workers. CDU lawmaker Fritz Güntzler stated in the Bundestag that the government cannot compel companies to provide this benefit.
Business Associations Dismiss the Idea
It remains unclear how many private-sector employees will actually receive the bonus. While companies could deduct the payment as a business expense, industry associations and employers have responded with skepticism or outright disinterest. Many firms, struggling with weak economic conditions, say they cannot afford such a payout.
From the perspective of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), the bonus could complement collective bargaining agreements—but only if paid in addition to regular wages. Unions warn that one-time payments like this bonus must not replace genuine wage increases.
According to the draft law, the tax exemption will cost the state up to €2.8 billion. To offset this, the government plans to raise tobacco taxes, though details have yet to be finalized. The bonus is modeled after similar measures introduced during the coronavirus pandemic and the energy price crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Fuel Tax Cut Also Set for Approval
Also on Friday, the Bundestag is expected to approve a controversial fuel tax cut. Under the plan, energy taxes on diesel and gasoline will be reduced by 14.04 cents per liter, aligning with the minimum tax rate for diesel. Since the lower energy tax will also reduce VAT, the total tax cut amounts to 16.7 cents per liter. The reduction will apply from May 1 to June 30, costing the state an additional €1.6 billion in lost revenue.
Opposition parties and environmental groups have criticized the measure as entirely counterproductive. Even within the governing coalition, there is dissent. Stefan Nacke, chair of the Union faction's employee group, told our website in an interview that the government's relief packages are dominating discussions to the detriment of more pressing issues: "These debates are overshadowing everything, and my impression is that they're distracting from the real problems—social reforms." He had expected more from the last coalition committee meeting. "Then we wouldn't be having these hysterical debates over short-term measures," Nacke said.
