Hospitality: job classification and wages from 1-1-2026
The new CLA hospitality includes salary increases. We receive many questions about this. To make the calculation clearer, you can follow a flowchart with several associated step-by-step plans. Using the flowchart, you can easily determine what you should earn from January 2026.
It's important that you already know which reference job your company role has been compared to and which job grade (salary scale) you are in. If you don't know this yet, first follow the steps in 1. If you already know, you can directly follow the flowchart under 2.
1. How do I know if I am classified in the correct salary scale (job grade)?
Your employer determines a role by creating a description of your main tasks and responsibilities. They then compare this with the roles listed in the Handbook of Reference Jobs in Hospitality. The role is linked to a salary scale, a job grade, from the CLA hospitality. Below are some examples:
| Reference Job | Job Grade |
|
Housekeeping Staff I (dishwasher) |
2 |
|
Housekeeping Staff II (room maintenance staff) |
3 |
|
Bartender |
4 |
|
All-round Service Staff |
5 |
|
Business Manager (small hospitality business) |
6 |
| Sous Chef | 7 |
|
Business Manager (medium-sized hospitality business) |
8 |
| General Manager (large hospitality business) | 11 |
The job grade determines what you should earn at a minimum. Always check if you are classified in the correct job grade. You can check the job grade in the employment contract. Can't figure it out? Then ask your employer in which reference job and job grade you are classified. You can find the wages in the CLA hospitality. Do you have all the information? Then go to step 2.
2. View the flowchart below and follow the steps. Are you entitled to a pay rise?
From 1 January 2025, the increments in the salary table will be indicative. This means: the increments are not mandatory and do not determine the actual salary increase, they only provide an indication of the growth potential.
3. When am I entitled to the CLA increase and the performance increase?
- Determine your actual gross salary on 31 December 2025 (on a full-time basis: 38 hours per week). Check your payslip. Increase this with the CLA salary increase. As of 1 January 2026, this is 2.5% (job grade III and above).
- The amount that results from this, you then increase with the performance bonus. The performance bonus is 2% and you receive it if you meet the conditions, see the flowchart above.
4. Can previous voluntarily given increases still be offset against the salary increase as of 1 January 2026?
- Only structural increases that were agreed with you in 2024 for 2026 may be offset against the CLA salary increase of 1 January 2026 (article 4.7 paragraph 14).
- If the salary increase was only promised or granted later, after 2024, the CLA does not allow for offsetting with January 2026.