In the private security sector, shift work, night work and work on holidays are common working conditions. Security guards often perform challenging work to ensure the safety of facilities, events and people. Unfortunately the Wages in this sector often in the low-wage sector for example, in the separate security service. If hours are unexpectedly lost, e.g. because the employer loses an important contract, and the monthly target working time is not reached because of this (or for other reasons), it can become financially dicey as a 34a security guard. This article looks at the reasons that lead to the cancellation of working days and shows the possibilities that one then has as a security employee.
What are possible reasons why my employer schedules me on fewer assignment days?
First of all, the security company’s point of view should also be briefly examined at this point. The fact that you are on the duty roster less often has in most cases (hopefully) nothing to do with you personally, but has operational reasons. If these are explained transparently by the employer and you can understand them, this offers a better starting point for a solution to the problem that can be supported by both sides. It is possible, however, that this will lead to a change of employment or to you starting to look for a new job. Or maybe the “lean period” is only short and you can compensate for the hours by working extra hours in the following month or the employer accommodates you in some other way.
Here are ten possible reasons why your employer might want to reduce your working hours:
Lower customer demand: There could be less demand for security services, leading to a reduction in the number of man-hours needed.
Economic slowdown: It is possible that the economic situation has deteriorated, leading to resource constraints and cost savings.
Changes in the business strategy: Your employer may have changed its business strategy, leading to an adjustment of human resources.
Staff rotation: Possibly rotate staff to give all staff the opportunity to work and to distribute working hours more equitably.
Seasonal fluctuations: Working hours could be subject to seasonal fluctuations, for example if less security staff is needed in certain months.
Changes in contracts with clients: It is possible that contracts with clients have changed and this leads to a reduction in the volume of work.
Legal restrictions: There could be (new) legal restrictions, such as maximum limits for working hours or rest periods between shifts. Or the existing requirements (e.g. from the Working Hours Act) are now better followed up.
Company holidays or seasonal company breaksYour employer may have decided to reduce working hours during certain periods, such as company holidays or seasonal breaks (from customers). Also, for example, the Covid pandemic had caused temporary dislocation within the industry.
Internal company restructuring: Your employer may carry out internal restructuring leading to a reassessment of working hours and resource allocation.
What options do I have if my employer assigns me to less work?
Of course, it is not worth arguing about one or two hours. However, a loss of 20, 30, 40 per cent or even more hours is a big deal, because you also have to make a living. If your boss removes you from the duty roster, assigns you to significantly fewer shifts than usual and you don’t work your hours — then you have the following options:
Check employment contract! That is the most important point. As a rule, what is decisive is what has been agreed in your employment contract. For example, if it says “full-time”, the employer is obliged to employ you accordingly. What is meant by full-time is usually regulated in the respective collective agreement. Often a specific number of hours is also agreed. If, for example, 170 hours per month are contractually stipulated in your employment contract, this number of hours must be adhered to (apart from minor fluctuations, e.g. due to sick cover).
Consult the duty roster! Duty scheduling in security services, e.g. in factory security, is often done on the basis of a fixed shift rhythm. In this way, it is possible to plan roughly in advance — of course with a certain degree of uncertainty (e.g. due to eternal outstanding holiday planning). However, the actual duty roster for the following month is decisive: If it states 20 shifts, for example, then you are entitled to work this number of shifts. Once a duty roster has been published, it may only be changed again after consultation with the employees.
Seek dialogue and actively offer work performance! Many things can be clarified through communication. Seek to talk to your supervisor and reach a consensus. Important: Communicate that you do not agree with the changes and explicitly offer your work performance! Your employer is obliged to give you the work according to the existing employment contract, you provide your work performance according to the contract.
Your employer does not react? Send a written reminder! Inform your employer in writing about the aspects mentioned above. The written form is important so that you have proof. Set a deadline for your boss, but continue to be polite and cooperative. After all, you usually want to continue working for your employer.
If nothing helps: complain! If all else fails, the employer does not react and talks (possibly also with the works council) have not led to success, the only option is to take legal action before the labour court.
Talking around it is useless. One thing is clear: The traditional security industry is a low-wage sector!
Nevertheless: the security industry offers variety, responsible, exciting and also quiet jobs. And if you’re smart, you can make ends meet. But — what do you earn as a security guard with a certificate of competence?
What matters when it comes to earnings in the security industry…
If you decide to work in the private security sector or are looking for a new employer, the financial aspects certainly play a major role. There are several factors that contribute to a good hourly wage. The most important aspects for a more attractive salary are listed below.
Level of education and training
Obviously, the better trained you are, the higher your earning potential. As an unskilled security guard only with training according to § 34a GewO, you will very often not be paid much more than the minimum wage. With the expert knowledge examination, you can achieve a good bit more basic hourly wage with manageable effort.. You can go even further with further training to become a certified protection and security worker or with training to become a specialist for protection and security. Incidentally, the minimum wage nationwide has been 12.43 euros per hour since 1 January 2023. The increase to 13 euros per hour from 1 April 2023 has already been decided.
Additional qualifications
Additional qualifications, for example in first aid or fire protection (e.g. as a fire protection assistant), are very helpful and increase the market value of security staff. These do not always have a direct effect on the hourly wage, but they are always a plus point in job applications. Additional qualifications include the following:
Fire safety helper
Evacuation helper
Lift rescue (rescue of persons from lifts)
Intervention force
NSL specialist
Safety Officer (Occupational Safety)
Hygiene/Health Officer
Basic knowledge course in radiation protection and decontamination
Weapons expertise examination
Intercultural skills and knowledge of foreign languages, especially at least basic English, should also not be underestimated.
Activity
The security industry has many facets and therefore the activities that security workers perform are also very diverse. Accordingly, there are sometimes serious wage differences. Security activities such as separate guards and simple guarding activities are often rather poorly paid. Jobs that require special skills often pay well. For example in the Aviation security, in the range Cash and valuables transport, during the activity in nuclear facilities, in which Underground and suburban railway guarding or as an NSL specialist in Emergency call and service control centres the earnings are often significantly higher than the industry average. The exact amount of the wage for the job can be found in the Collective agreements take from them. If they have been declared generally binding, which is usually the case, they apply to all employees. (It is best to add the federal state to the Google search to narrow down the results).
Working hours
Anyone who is already active in the industry and works in shifts knows it: Often, biorhythms and private life suffer from the changing working hours. However, working night shifts, Sundays and public holidays often offers decisive financial advantages. Depending on the federal state/collective agreement, the following benefits can be earned Night, Sunday and public holiday surcharges that are well worth seeing. What’s more, these tax-free! On public holidays in many places 100% Surcharge possiblei.e. in addition to the actual daily wage, you receive the same amount again — but tax-free! Viewed over the month, depending of course on the amount of night, Sunday and public holiday hours, the following can be achieved Several hundred euros on top earn. Especially around the turn of the year or at Easter, this can be a lucrative affair.
Overtime/overtime
Overtime is, of course, a partial aspect of working hours. Nevertheless, I would like to devote a separate point to this aspect here. Why? Because experience shows that a lot of overtime is worked in the security sector, often much more than is legally permissible and with too few breaks between assignments. Think carefully about whether you want to go along with this and should actually work 200, 220, 240 or even more hours per month. My tip at this point would be to invest in further education and not to trade so much time for money: Memento Mori — your lifetime is also limited. Set priorities and make a good decision for you, also for your future.
State
As in other industries, there is a West-East divide in the private security sector. In the past, these wage differences were really glaring. Security workers in Berlin earned in some areas not even half of those who worked in Bavaria. As a rule, the best-paid federal states include Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia. Among the lowest paid are still the new federal states, for example Brandenburg or Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Just a few years ago, one could barely keep one’s head above water with a job as a security guard in the East German states. However, the minimum wage and the gradual convergence of collective agreements are increasingly putting the differences into perspective. In addition, one should not forget that where people earn more, they usually earn less. Cost of living (especially rents) are higher. So think carefully — if you are toying with the idea — whether a move is really worth it for you.
Industry
Many people think of security service jobs in the classic way, as the security company that as a service provider external customers. Whereas in the past, veteran employees in factories came to the plant security service towards the end of their working lives to spend the last years of their careers doing less strenuous work, the situation has changed considerably nowadays. Professional, external security service providers look after a large number of companies from business and industry or the public sector as clients. But they still exist, despite the decades-long trend towards outsourcing. The Internal plant security. Especially in industry, property and plant protection activities are when you are directly employed by the manufacturing company, very well paid. Der Grund hierfür ist, dass Sie nach dem Branchentarif bezahlt werden, dem die Masse der Belegschaft angehört. Werfen Sie einen Blick in die Rate tables for the metal and electrical industry! These monthly salaries are in a different league.
Allowances
Allowances regulated by collective agreement are usually paid for guard/shift leaders, for dog handlers or in certain facilities such as military properties. Likewise, there are often allowances for on-call duties, e.g. for (additional) work in the plant fire brigade. These range from a few cents per hour up to over 10% more pay. In Bavaria, there is also slightly more money if you work in the greater Munich area.
Security companies or their clients also sometimes pay Voluntary (revocable) allowances. Manchmal gibt es auch Einmal-Prämien für besonders erfolgreiche Einsätze oder für herausragende Arbeitsleistungen. Leider sind diese Art Zulagen aber eher die Ausnahme. Immer häufiger vorzufinden ist aber eine Wechselprämie, also so eine Art „Begrüßungsgeld“. Das allein sollte aber aber nicht unbedingt der alleinige Grund für einen Arbeitgeberwechsel sein.
Concrete numbers
You would like to know concrete figures?
If you have read the article up to this point, you will realise that this is difficult, as it can depend on a number of factors such as the federal state, the job, the working hours and their (additional) qualifications. Nevertheless, a concrete example:
Monthly salary in the separate guard service with IHK specialist knowledge examination in 2023 in Bavaria:
14,00 Euro per hour
180 hours per month
thereof
12h holiday
16h Sunday
60h night
This results in approx. 2520 euros of taxable income (gross) and just under 420 euros of tax-free supplements.With income tax class 1 and no children, a single person thus receives approx. 2170 Euro net transferred. However, this calculation is for illustrative purposes only. Your actual salary paid out may depend on numerous factors!
Hint: This article was last updated in February 2023. As there are regular adjustments to both the minimum wage and collective agreement regulations, the framework conditions may have changed in the meantime! (All information without guarantee.)
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