What is on your payslip?
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If you have a job and get a salary every month, then you are employed. You then get a payslip from your employer every month. This is an overview of how your salary is structured. This payslip not only shows how much money you get, but also how much tax you pay for what. In this article you can read what else is on your payslip and why it is important.
Your paycheck contains information about you and your job
Your personal data and your work data
Such as your name, role, date of birth, address and bank account.
Employer data
Such as your employer's name and address.
Date you started work
Your payslip often shows the date you officially started working for your employer.
Employment contract: temporary contract or permanent contract
On your payslip, you can often see what type of employment contract you have. It will say whether you have a temporary contract (with an end date) or a permanent contract (without an end date).
On-call contract/on-call worker
An on-call contract is a contract where you only work when the employer asks you. So you do not have fixed hours. The employer calls or emails you when you can come to work.
Written employment contract
Your payslip will tell you if you have a written employment contract. This means that you and your employer have put the arrangements for your work on paper and signed them.
Your salary information
Period
This indicates the month or period for which you receive the salary.
Hours worked
The total number of hours you worked in that month or period.
Hourly wage
The amount you earn per hour for your work.
Salary scale
A salary scale is a table of amounts associated with your job. Each salary scale has a number of steps, which are called 'treden'. In a conversation with you, your employer chooses a step on the salary scale when you start work. The longer you work for the same employer, the higher you move up the salary scale. So you move up a step each time. Usually you move up one step each year. Until you reach the highest step. Then you stay there.
What salary scale you will be in when you start working depends on your position, your work experience and the agreements in your
Step
A step indicates where you stand within your salary scale. Each scale has several steps, with a slightly higher wage for each step.
You usually start on a low step when you are just beginning a job. Each year you can move up a step, for example, if you gain more experience or work well. That means your salary goes up. Your employer determines this based on your position, experience and the agreements in the collective labour agreement.
Table colour
Your payslip also contains a table colour. This table colour indicates which payroll tax table your employer uses to calculate your taxes and contributions . If you are employed then it is the white table. Your employer uses this table if you get wages from a current job (you are now working for this employer). Sometimes green is the table colour on your payslip. Then your salary is calculated differently. Usually this is because this is a one-time payment or benefit you are receiving.
The minimum wage
In the Netherlands, you are entitled to a minimum wage. This is the lowest amount your employer is allowed to pay you per hour. The government determines the minimum wage every six months. How old you are determines what minimum wage applies to you. Your employer must put the minimum wage on your payslip. This must be done even if you earn more than the minimum wage.
Gross pay
Gross pay is what you earn as an employee from your employer. This is the amount including the amount that goes to taxes and contributions.
Net pay
Your employer deducts an amount of taxes and contributions from your gross pay. What remains is your net pay. That is the money you get in your bank account.
Holiday pay
Every month you build up a little holiday pay. This is usually 8% of your gross pay. Many people get this money in May or June. Sometimes the employer pays a little each month.
13th month
The 13th month is an extra monthly salary that some employees receive at the end of the year, usually in December. It is often about equal to one month's gross salary. You also pay taxes and contributions on the 13th month.
Allowances and taxes
Allowances
Your payslip may show various allowances. These are extra amounts you get in addition to your regular salary. For example: travel allowance and home office allowance. Your employer usually puts these allowances on your payslip. This way you can see exactly what extras you received that month.
Payroll taxes
You pay payroll taxes on your wages. This is money for taxes and contributions. The employer automatically deducts this from your wages.
Wage taxes
You have to pay wage taxes for the Dutch government. You pay taxes on your salary, your holiday pay or the money you got for working overtime.
Contributions
These are fixed amounts you pay for insurance. For example, you are insured with sick leave insurance (WGA), unemployment (WW), old age pension (OP) and incapacited for week (AP).
Your employer deducts these contributions from your salary and pays them to the Dutch government. This way you are insured and also get paid if you get sick or are out of work for a while.
Tax credit
A tax credit is a rebate on the tax you have to pay. Due to this rebate, you pay fewer income taxes and contributions. You can get different types of tax credits. How much discount you get depends on how much you earn, your age and your personal situation (for example, whether you have a partner). The most well-known tax credits are the general tax credit and the work tax credit.
General tax credit
The general tax credit is a rebate on the taxes and contributions you pay on your income. Due to this rebate, you pay less tax.
Everyone who lives and works in the Netherlands is entitled to this rebate. How much rebate you get depends on your income, whether you have lived in the Netherlands for the entire year, and whether you have already reached the pension age.
How much general tax credit will you get in 2025?
Do you earn less than €28,406 per year? Then you get the maximum amount of €3,068.
Do you earn between €28,406 and €76,817? Then the rebate will slowly decrease.
Do you earn more than €76,817? Then you no longer receive a general tax credit.
Work discount
This is a tax rebate. It means you pay less tax on your wages. You only get a work discount at one employer at a time. Do you work for more than one employer at the same time? Then you will only get a work discount from the employer you specify. Usually, you choose the job where you earn the most.