Short-term employee

Once you have been offered a position, please send as soon as possible the following documents for contract preparation:

• a copy of your highest educational qualification (e.g. bachelor’s or master’s degree certificate)
• certificates of employment or reference letters confirming your work history (i.e. confirming work periods and job titles), please note that the originals may be requested at any time during your contract period

Once you have received your employment contract, please send the following documents as soon as possible to the specified person and address:

• the signed duplicate of your contract*
• the privacy statement and security self-declaration form for selected candidates*
• the criminal record certificate* (does not need to be translated into English)
• a copy of your passport/ID card (please note that you will be required to show your passport/ID card when you start work at the ECB)
• a copy of your marriage certificate and your spouse’s/child’s passport/ID card or birth certificate, if applicable
• the completed personal details form (please see the link below)
• your bank account details (IBAN and BIC), if already available

You can also submit the above documents, with the exception of those marked with an *, by e-mail.

Personal details form short term

To protect the institution and its reputation, the ECB employs only individuals whose criminal history (if any) does not call into question their capacity to maintain high standards of professional ethics in the performance of their duties at the ECB. Please submit the completed privacy statement and security self-declaration form for selected candidates and a criminal record certificate (which does not need to be translated into English) before commencing employment.

Please send both documents in the original by post to:

European Central Bank
Security Division - Clearance
Sonnemannstrasse 20
60314 Frankfurt am Main
Germany

To facilitate the security clearance process:

• send both documents together
• use your official name consistently on all documents
• ensure that all fields are filled in
• make sure your handwriting is legible
• send them to the Security Division – not to the HR department

Useful information:

• The time it takes to obtain a criminal record certificate can vary substantially depending on your country of residence. Make sure you start this procedure as soon as you are sure that you are going to join the ECB.
• We do not reimburse the cost of obtaining a criminal record certificate.
• Your security clearance will be granted solely on the basis of these two documents.
• In most cases, we process security clearance within five working days.

Please contact us via e-mail if you have any concerns or questions regarding security clearance.

Have a look at the introduction to security clearance for more information.

[email protected]

Security self-declaration and consent form

Introduction to security clearance

We will pay for your accommodation for the duration of your stay, provided that the distance from your place of residence to the ECB exceeds 50 km. You can either stay in one of the residences below, with which the ECB has a special arrangement, or move into your own private accommodation. Please see Private accommodation and rental allowance for further information.

To ensure that only those colleagues who are eligible can reserve a place in one of the residences, the ECB regularly provides the residences with the names of new staff members and certain details about their contracts. This also allows the ECB to comply with its legal obligation to provide initial accommodation to staff, as set out in the Conditions of Employment and Staff Rules.

ECB residences

The ECB has negotiated special conditions with four residences: Apartment Residenz, Derag Hotel, Achat Comfort City and Mercure. If you opt to stay in one of these residences, you will be offered a self-catering apartment (for single occupancy) which includes a kitchenette and a bathroom. The ECB will pay your invoice for the single occupancy directly, but any costs for higher occupancy as well as for any other non-covered items (such as meal service or potential damages caused to the apartment during your stay) need to be borne by the staff members directly with the residences. For this purpose, the residences may ask you for your credit card details or another form of payment guarantee.

You may arrive one week prior to the start of your contract and stay one day longer than the end of your contract. Please book directly via email (not via any online booking system). Once booked, any issues related to your stay at any of the residences should be addressed directly to the provider. Please contact the ECB if you have cancelled your reservation and would like to request the rental allowance of €1,250 instead. See Private accommodation and rental allowance for further information.

Cancellation Policy

In case you leave the apartment prior to the end of the contracted period, you must notify the residence in writing at least 4 weeks in advance (and you can only move out at the end of a month). Furthermore, please note that the minimum period for your stay shall be one calendar month.

In case you fail to cancel your booking in writing at least 4 weeks prior to the scheduled check-out date and prior to the end of a month, the ECB reserves the right to charge you the monthly rental cost of your room until your room booking has expired. This applies also in case you decide for an early termination of your contract with the ECB.

Important information

The following steps must be strictly observed when looking for an apartment in one of the above residences:

• Contact any of the above listed providers at least 15 days prior to your planned arrival date and ask if they have fixed order apartments available. Note: it is extremely important that you ask for fixed order apartments only.
• In case the provider of your choice does not have fixed order apartments available, please make sure to contact the next provider(s) of your choice and ask for fixed order apartments.
• If none of the above providers have fixed order apartments available, please contact the providers according to the above ranking (i.e. 1st rank Apartment Residenz, 2nd Rank Derag, 3rd rank Achat Comfort City, 4th rank Mercure) and ask if they have reserved apartments available.
• In case none of the providers have neither fixed order apartments nor reserved apartments available, please contact [email protected] at least 7 days prior to your planned arrival date.
• Please note that non-adherence to the above guideline may lead to the fact that the ECB will not assume the costs for your apartment.

Please note that for contractual reasons, depending on the occupancy levels in the various Residences, you may be asked to move residences during your stay and especially if your contract with the ECB is extended and you want to continue benefitting from the Residences. If this happens, the above process steps need to be observed once again and consequently there is no guarantee for you to stay in your current residence. You will not be able to refuse an ECB request to move residences, except if you decide to go for privately arranged accommodation, in which case you can apply for a rental allowance (see below).

We wish you a very nice stay at your accommodation. In case of questions, please contact [email protected].

Private accommodation and rental allowance

If you would prefer to move into private accommodation instead of staying at one of the residences above, for example for family reasons or for longer-term stays, please submit a request to your HR Operations assistant at the ECB. If your request is approved, you will receive a rental allowance of €1,250/month.

If your spouse/recognised partner is already living in Frankfurt when you join the ECB, you will not be entitled to the rental allowance.

Property websites

Various property websites provide information on finding rented accommodation – simply type the words "Frankfurt Immobilien" into a search engine.

If the distance from your place of recruitment to the ECB exceeds 50 km and irrespective of the means of transport used, the ECB pays the following lump sums on appointment of service (aimed at covering all travel costs):

Up to 500 km	500-1,500 km	Over 1,500 km
EUR 346	EUR 473	EUR 599

Travel of dependent children and spouses/recognised partners

The ECB will not reimburse the travel costs for your family.

Useful information

There are restricted traffic zones/low emission zones within the city centre (Umweltzone/green zone) where only cars displaying specific environmental badges/stickers (Feinstaub-Plaketten) are allowed to circulate. The badges/stickers can be obtained for €5 at the Kfz-Zulassungsstelle, in the Bürgerämter in Frankfurt, at TÜV, DEKRA and from car garages. You will need to bring your car ID (Fahrzeugschein) in order to purchase one. Vehicles without an environmental badge/sticker may not pass through the green zone and penalties apply.

Your contract specifies your period of employment with the ECB, your position title and working arrangements, as well as your gross annual salary and a monthly travel allowance, if applicable.

Health insurance

The ECB offers a comprehensive medical and dental plan, which is insured by Allianz France and administered by Cigna International. Further details can be found in the Cigna brochure which you will receive on your first working day.

You can opt either to be covered by this plan or to retain your current insurance cover (in which case you must provide the ECB with proof of cover, e.g. a copy of your insurance card). To indicate your decision, please fill in the Health and Long-term care insurance form below.

Cost of the health insurance

A monthly contribution of 2.4% of your basic salary, which amounts to one-third of the total cost, is deducted from your salary if you choose to be covered by the ECB’s plan. The ECB will bear the cost of the other two-thirds.

Cover for dependants

Your dependent children and your spouse/recognised partner (depending on his/her income) can also be covered under the ECB’s plan.

Staff Rules: Health insurance rules
Health and Long-term care insurance

Long-term care insurance

In addition to the above general health insurance, the ECB also offers long-term care insurance to cover the risk of extended loss of autonomy.

If you join the ECB Health insurance, you will also be covered by the long-term care insurance.

Cost of the long-term care insurance

A monthly contribution of 0.33% of your basic salary, which amounts to one-third of the total cost, is deducted from your salary if you choose to be covered under the ECB’s long-term care insurance. The ECB will bear the cost of the other two-thirds.

Cover for dependants

Your dependant children and spouse/recognised partner (depending on his/her income) can also be covered under the ECB’s long-term care insurance subject to medical clearance. It is not possible to cover further family members or other dependants under the ECB’s long-term care insurance.

Staff Rules: Long-term care insurance

Accident insurance

Participation in the ECB’s accident insurance scheme is compulsory for all ECB staff members. It provides 24-hour worldwide cover against all work and non-work related accidents. The insurance also covers accidental death and disability benefits.

Cost of the accident insurance

The total premium amounts to 0.499% of your basic salary. One-third of the premium is borne by staff members, while the remaining two-thirds are borne by the ECB.

Cover for dependants

Family members are not covered by this insurance.

Short-term staff members do not participate in the ECB’s Pension scheme. As compensation, the ECB will pay you an additional 20.7334% of your basic monthly salary to enable you to keep making contributions to your personal pension plan.

Childcare facilities

Many children in Germany between the ages of one and six attend Krabbelstube/Krippe and Kindergarten, although this is not compulsory. While by law children aged one and above are guaranteed a childcare place, it can be difficult to find a place. For further information, please refer to the section entitled Life in Frankfurt.

The ECB offers childcare to children between three months and six years of age for ECB employees with a contract of at least one years’ duration. Places may not be available immediately, depending on the age of your child and your desired start date.

European School Frankfurt

If your children are over the age of four, they can join the European School Frankfurt (ESF) in the pre-primary, primary or secondary cycle. The school has four language sections (German, English, French and Italian) and offers mother tongue tuition in all EU languages. As an ECB staff member, with an employment of at least one years’ duration, you are exempt from paying the tuition fees, but extra-curricular activities and meals must be paid for. You can find further details on the ESF’s website.

European School Frankfurt

Other schools

In addition to German state schools, Frankfurt is well endowed with a range of international schools.

Please see the section Life in Frankfurt for more information

Life in Frankfurt

Within two weeks of arriving in Germany, ECB staff members and their families must register their place of residence with one of the Bürgerämter (registration offices) of the town/city in which they live. This must be done in person. You do not have to register if your stay in Germany will not exceed three months. But it is advisable to do so if your contract with the ECB is likely to be extended beyond this time period (as it may help avoid an unnecessary fine).

If you are married, or have children, the original marriage and birth certificates need to be provided with the International Certificate or a certified German translation. If you are divorced, the same applies for the divorce certificate.

You will also need to present a letter from your landlord/rental property manager confirming that you are renting accommodation. This letter has to include the name and address of the landlord/rental property manager, the date on which you will be moving in, the address of the rental property and your name. Failure to comply could result in a €1,000 fine for the landlord.

Planning to live in Frankfurt?

A full list of registration offices in Frankfurt can be found here.

Note that you will receive a verbal warning if you only manage to register with the Frankfurt authorities between two and four weeks of taking up residence in this city. Thereafter, you may be fined. Fines start at €15 and the amount payable will depend on the length of the delay.

EU nationals do not need a residence permit

A German residence permit is not required for EU nationals. The Meldebescheinigung (the certificate issued when registering your place of residence with a local registration office, i.e. a Bürgeramt) – together with your personal ID card or passport – is sufficient proof that you are officially registered in Germany as a citizen of another EU country.

Visa requirements for non-EU spouses

Non-EU spouses planning to join an ECB spouse in Germany, nationals of countries for which an entry visa is compulsory (visumpflichtige Staaten), will need to apply for a D visa at the German embassy/consulate where they reside before coming to Germany. Please notify your HR contact at the ECB as soon as possible if this applies to your spouse. Our Staff Info Point will then try to help with the visa process by officially notifying the Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office). Further information on visa requirements can be obtained from the website of the Auswärtiges Amt.

Once the non-EU spouse has entered Germany, he/she must register with a Bürgeramt (registration office) together with the ECB staff member. Please then apply for a Sonderausweis (special ID card) as soon as possible through our Staff Info Point. With the Sonderausweis, non-EU citizens who are family members of ECB employees are entitled to live and work in Germany.

Visa requirements for non-EU partners

Non-EU partners are not entitled to a Sonderausweis. Unlike non-EU spouses, they must go through the normal process of applying for a regular residence and work permit at the Ausländeramt (Aliens' Office). The same applies if the non-EU partner can already live and work in another EU country.

Currently, non-EU nationals have to contend with a rather long and difficult permit application process. So you are advised to check what the requirements are with the nearest German embassy/consulate before leaving your country of residence. This could help prevent disappointment later on.

Your salary and benefits can be paid into any account in the European Union, provided that your bank is SEPA-compliant. You can also open a bank account in Germany (leaflets on the various banks are available at the Staff Info Point in room HS 15.10 of the main building).

Many banks require their clients to register their place of residence at a local Bürgeramt (please see the section on Registration with the German authorities) before they can open a new bank account.

Please provide us with your bank account details either:

• by completing the bank account form or
• by e-mailing them

at the latest within the first three days of starting work at the ECB in order to ensure that you are paid on the 15th of the month.

Bank account form

On your first working day, you are able to order a ticket for public transportation – it is offered by the ECB in cooperation with RMV, the Frankfurt regional public transportation association, and it offers attractive discounts up to 38% vs. regular RMV seasonal tickets.