Sofia ANALYSIS The Big Importance of the Small“Seniority Grade” Bulgarian Experience and European Practices for Stimulating Professionalism ADRIAN ILIEV/ VANYA GRIGOROVA/ ROSITSA KRATUNKOVA November 2017 n T he payment for professional experience and labour service, more known as“seniority grade” has become subject to fierce attacks from Bulgarian employers’ organisations. While it the only guarantee that salaries will be augmented annually, albeit just a little, employers argue this system does not exist elsewhere in Europe. n A lthough government does not support the employers’ organisations so far, under mounting pressure from lobbying, certain state officials have started to give in. n W e find that the Bulgarian model has many analogies in other EU countries and be ­yond. In fact, the majority of the analyzed country do have models of augmenting sal ­aries and/or adjusting base salaries according to professional experience. n Bulgaria´s model of seniority grade therefore neither stands isolated nor is it outdated.