How much severance pay do I get?
How much severance you get if you are dismissed.
At a glance
The answer, and what is worth knowing.
- With a salary of €1,500 and 7 years with the employer, severance without notice is €7,000.00.
- With written notice, the employer pays half: €3,500.00.
- Severance pay carries no social security contributions, and no tax up to €60,000.
Months of salary
By years with the same employer, without notice.
| Years with the employer | Salaries | At €1,500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 2 | €3,500.00 |
| 4 to 5 | 3 | €5,250.00 |
| 6 to 7 | 4 | €7,000.00 |
| 8 to 9 | 5 | €8,750.00 |
| 10 | 6 | €10,500.00 |
| 11 | 7 | €12,250.00 |
| 12 | 8 | €14,000.00 |
| 13 | 9 | €15,750.00 |
| 14 | 10 | €17,500.00 |
| 15 | 11 | €19,250.00 |
| 16 and over | 12 | €21,000.00 |
How we calculate it
The severance salary is the regular salary of the last month, plus 1/6 for the bonuses and the holiday allowance. With daily pay, a month is 22 daily wages.
This salary cannot exceed €9,861.60: 8 times the daily wage of an unskilled worker, times 30.
Full years with the employer give the months of the table. Anyone with more than 17 years on 12 November 2012 also gets extra months of salary, counted at up to €2,000.00.
With written notice, the employer pays half. The tool applies this to the whole severance.
Two points are not certain: whether the ceiling counts before or after the 1/6, and whether the half also covers service up to 2012.
We checked the rules on 19 October 2026. The result is an estimate. It does not replace your payroll or your accountant.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How many months’ salary do I get as severance?
From 2 months’ salary, with 1 year with the employer, up to 12, with 16 years. The severance salary is your regular salary, plus 1/6 for the bonuses and the holiday allowance.
Do I get severance in my first year?
No. In the first 12 months of a job, the employer may dismiss you without notice and without severance, unless the contract says otherwise.
What changes with notice?
If the employer warns you in writing, 1 to 4 months ahead, they pay half the severance. During that period you keep working as normal.
Is there a ceiling?
Yes. The severance salary cannot exceed €9,861.60 a month in 2026. For service up to 2012, it counts up to €2,000.00.
Is severance pay taxed?
Severance pay is taxed apart from your salary. Up to €60,000 it carries no tax. Above that, the tax is 10%, 20% and 30%, by bands.