At the end of a calendar year or at the end of a period of employment, your employer has to issue an annual payslip (‘Lohnsteuerbescheinigung’). This document includes the following information, among others:
• Duration of employment activity
• Salary
• Withheld wage tax, the solidarity surcharge and, if applicable, the church tax
• Grants for maternity benefits and other remunerations (eg short-time allowance)
• Number of child allowances
The annual payslip should not be confused with your monthly payslip. Printed at the top of your annual payslip you will find the year which the document refers to.