loonklasse

Loonklasse is a term used in Dutch-language labor contexts to describe a defined level within a wage scale used to determine base pay for a job or position. It serves as a categorization mechanism that groups jobs with comparable duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.

A loonklasse typically comes with a pay range, indicating the minimum and maximum salary associated with that class. The employer assigns a position to a loonklasse based on job evaluation, which considers factors such as tasks, required skills, and experience.

Progress within a loonklasse can occur through steps or degrees. Employees may move to a higher step within the same class as tenure or performance criteria are met, or advance to a higher loonklasse when responsibilities or qualifications increase. Pay rises are often linked to step progression or reclassification.

The assignment to a loonklasse is usually governed by job evaluation methods and collective employment agreements. The exact structure, numbering, and range of classes vary by organization, sector, and country. The concept is most common in the public sector and in organizations that maintain formal wage scales, though similar systems are used in some private companies under different names such as pay grades or salary bands.

See also: salary scale, job evaluation, collective labor agreement, pay grade.