Salary scales and job groups in the hospitality industry CLA
Not every hospitality employee is entitled to the same salary. Under the hospitality industry CLA, pay is determined on the basis of job groups and salary scales. The main factors are the duties, responsibilities and level of independence associated with the role. The current hospitality industry CLA runs from 1 January 2025 through 31 December 2026 and has been declared generally binding since 2 August 2025. The most recent salary table applies from 1 July 2026. In this article, you will learn how salary scales and job groups work, how salary increases are determined and what the difference is between the CLA rate and the statutory minimum wage.
What are salary scales in the hospitality industry?
A salary scale in the hospitality industry is the pay range associated with a job group. The scale runs from a gross basic salary to a maximum salary. Employers may pay more than the CLA requires, but not less than the applicable CLA rate.
The hospitality industry CLA uses salary scales to ensure that roles of comparable weight are rewarded equally. The main factors considered are the duties, responsibilities, level of independence, knowledge and any supervisory responsibilities, not just the job title.
The job groups were established using the IFA method, a system for assessing the relative weight of jobs. Roles of comparable weight are placed in the same job group and receive the same salary scale.
The system can be summarised as follows:
Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
Company role | The actual combination of duties and responsibilities within the company |
Reference role | A standard role from the official job manual against which the company role is compared |
Job evaluation | The assessment of the relative weight of the role |
Job group | The pay group in which company roles of a comparable level are classified |
Salary scale | The gross pay range from the basic salary to the maximum salary |
Actual salary | The salary that the employer and employee have actually agreed |
The hospitality job structure consists of eleven job groups, from I through XI. In the current salary table, job groups I and II have been combined into I+II, followed by groups III through XI.
A job group is determined by the duties and responsibilities of a role, not by an individual’s experience. Experience can, however, influence salary progression and whether an employee is classified as a skilled employee.
How are hospitality salary scales structured?
The hospitality salary table lists the basic salary, maximum salary and indicative increments for each job group. It also includes hourly rates and separate amounts for young skilled employees, non-skilled employees and BBL students. The amounts are based on a full-time employment contract averaging 38 hours per week.
The basic salary is the minimum CLA rate for a fully qualified skilled employee within a job group. The maximum salary is the highest amount in the salary scale. Employers may always agree a higher salary than the CLA rate.
The actual salary is the amount recorded in the employment contract or agreed in a later salary arrangement. It may fall within or above the salary scale.
The increments indicate how the salary may progress between the basic and maximum salary. Since 1 January 2025, these amounts have been indicative only. Annual salary progression has since been determined through performance-related pay.
The following simplified overview shows how a scale works:
Position within the scale | Explanation |
|---|---|
Basic salary | The usual minimum when starting employment as a fully qualified skilled employee |
Between the basic and maximum salary | The salary may increase, including through performance-related pay |
Maximum salary | The maximum for mandatory performance-related pay within the scale |
Above the maximum salary | Possible if the employer and employee agree a higher salary |
Skilled employee or not yet a skilled employee
The hospitality industry CLA distinguishes between skilled and non-skilled employees. Whether someone is classified as a skilled employee depends on a recognised vocational qualification, relevant work experience or the job group. Different pay rules and salary tables apply to non-skilled employees, BBL students and young skilled employees. Read more about what a skilled employee is here.
Which hospitality salary scale am I in?
Your salary scale is determined by the content of your role, not by your job title. The employer compares your duties and responsibilities with the reference roles in the Reference Roles Manual for the Hospitality Industry and then assigns the role to a job group. This assessment considers, among other things, the duties, level of independence, professional knowledge, responsibilities and any supervisory tasks. The job group must be stated in the employment contract.
The official reference roles provide a useful indication:
Example of a reference role | Reference group |
|---|---|
Food and beverage service employee II | III |
Housekeeping employee II | III |
Bartender II | IV |
Front office employee II, comparable to many reception roles | IV |
Independent chef I | V |
Service manager II | VI |
Front office supervisor II | VI |
Head chef II | VIII |
Rooms division manager II | IX |
Food and beverage manager II | X |
Examples of roles are only an indication. The final job group depends on the duties, responsibilities and level of independence, not on the job title or number of years of service. When an employee is promoted to a higher job group, their salary must be increased by at least 1% under the CLA and may not be lower than the basic salary of the new scale.
How do periodic salary increases work?
Since the 2025–2026 hospitality industry CLA came into force, the increments in the salary table have been indicative only. Instead of a mandatory periodic increase, fully qualified skilled employees may, subject to certain conditions, receive a 2% performance-related increase on 1 January, up to the maximum salary of the scale.
Performance-related pay may only be refused in cases of inadequate performance, in accordance with the assessment rules in the CLA. Employers may also use their own performance-related pay system, provided that it meets the requirements of the CLA.
It is important to distinguish between four types of salary increase:
Type of increase | How does it arise? |
|---|---|
A collective increase stated in the CLA and effective from a specified date | |
Performance-related pay | An annual increase of 2% when the conditions are met |
Promotion increase | An increase when an employee is placed in a more demanding company role |
Voluntary increase | Additional pay agreed between the employer and employee |
A salary therefore does not automatically increase every year in all cases. An employee who has not yet worked a full calendar year in the same role for the same employer, has already reached the maximum salary or does not fall under the scheme for fully qualified skilled employees may not qualify for the standard performance-related increase. Employees are, however, always entitled to at least the applicable statutory or CLA minimum.
What is the difference between the minimum wage and a salary scale?
The statutory minimum wage is the minimum amount every employer must pay. A CLA rate is linked to a role and salary scale and is often higher than the statutory minimum wage. Always check the effective date of the minimum wage, as the amount is adjusted periodically.
Statutory minimum wage | Hospitality salary scale |
|---|---|
Set by the government | Agreed in the hospitality industry CLA |
The general statutory wage floor | Linked to a specific job group |
Mainly dependent on age and paid hours | Dependent on the content of the role and skilled-employee status |
Includes a statutory youth minimum wage for ages 15 to 20 | Includes specific percentages for young skilled and non-skilled employees |
Usually adjusted every six months | May change as a result of CLA agreements and developments in the minimum wage |
In the hospitality industry, an employee may be classified as fully qualified from the age of 20 and may be entitled to the full basic salary of the job group. The CLA rate may never be lower than the statutory minimum wage applicable to the employee.
Where can you find the current salary tables?
The current salary tables are available from the official CLA parties and on the Reference Roles for the Hospitality Industry platform. Always check the effective date of the table and make sure you use the correct job group, age category and employee category—skilled employee, non-skilled employee or BBL student. Employers may pay higher wages than required by the CLA, but never less. Therefore, always use the most recent salary table.
Frequently asked questions about hospitality industry salary scales
How do I know which salary scale I am in?
Check your employment contract to see which job group is listed and compare your duties with the official reference roles. If you are unsure, ask your employer for an explanation.
Can my employer place me in the wrong salary scale?
Yes. If your role has changed without the job group being updated, the classification may be incorrect. Discuss this with your employer first. You can also ask for a comparison with the reference roles in the official job manual. If you cannot resolve the issue, you can follow the dispute procedure set out in the CLA.
How many increments are there?
This varies by salary scale. Since 2025, increments have been indicative only and are no longer mandatory.
Does my hospitality salary increase every year?
Not automatically. Your salary may increase through performance-related pay, a CLA increase, a promotion or an individual salary agreement.
Does experience with another employer count?
Yes, when determining whether you are a skilled employee. You must be able to demonstrate that experience.
Do salary scales also apply to part-time employees?
Yes. Part-time employees fall under the same salary scales. Their salary is calculated pro rata based on the number of hours worked.
Do hotels and restaurants use the same salary scales?
Yes, as long as the company falls under the hospitality industry CLA. The roles may differ, but the salary scales are the same.
Does every hospitality employee fall under the hospitality industry CLA?
No. This depends on the company’s activities and on which CLA applies.
This article has been reviewed by:
Sander (A.J.C.) Theunissen
Employment Lawyer (Counsel) - CLINT | Littler
Sander (A.J.C.) Theunissen has over fifteen years of experience and specializes in labor law and works council law. He has gained experience in labor law for the hospitality industry, among other areas.