Employment of MSCA Fellows at German Host Institutions

We have received a rising number of inquiries about whether employment of the fellows according to TV-L or TVöD is mandatory in Germany. We can clearly say No, it is not mandatory.

It is at the discretion of the employing institution how they employ an MSCA fellow. The European Commission merely requires that MSCA fellows work full-time for the MSCA project with a contract of employment that results in affiliation to the social-security system. The European Commission has no influence on the mode of employment, this is a matter of national legislation and regulations of the recruiting institution.

In the past years, some German institutions have switched to employment contracts according to TV-L or TVöD which had the effect that, e.g., fellows could not be employed with the familiar "model employment contract" for EU researchers. Many institutions, however, still use the model contract or a similar form of contract.

Our mission is to give German proposers the best possible advice regarding MSCA participation. We are therefore obliged to emphasise the importance of clarifying with your administration before proposal submission whether employment contracts according TV-L or TVöD are mandatory at your institution or not. We do not want German institutions to experience a negative surprise after signing the Grant Agreement. It has happened that German institutions could no longer participate in an MSCA project because they did not have the financial means to cover the gap between the European Commission's allowances for the salary and the costs for employment according TV-L and TVöD.

You are very welcome to forward this information to researchers at your institution who intend to submit an MSCA proposal.