As employees eagerly await the end of year Christmas bonus due to all employees in Costa Rica, many are asking themselves how much they are owed.  Or maybe you are an employer who needs to pay someone?

Eugenio Solano, director of Labor Relations at the Ministry of Work and Social Security explained that every public and private employee must get an aguinaldo regardless of their job description, hours or time worked with the patron.

The amount is calculated over the average monthly salary paid from December 1st 2005 to November 30th 2006.  The total amount from each monthly amount is added and divided by 12. Here are some handy examples:

Jose Pablo

Jose Pablo earned 110,000 as a gardener in December of 2005 and received a raise to 120,000 in January.

December 110,000 + 1,320,000  (11 months X 120,000 each) = 1,420,000 colones

1,420,000 colones divided by  12  = 119,166.65 colones due

Maria de los Angeles

Maria de los Angeles only worked part of the year as a day care teacher.  From April 1st to to June 30th for 110,000 per month and from July 1st to November 30th for 120,000 per month.   The total of these payments should be divided by 12.
April May June - 330,000

June - Novemeber (5 months) - 600,000

930,000 divided by 12 =  77,500 colones

Payment in Kind

A special case is those of workers who receive additional compensation besides their paycheck.  (Food, lodging, free products or services) In this case the calculation is the same, but to the monthly salary you have to add in the value of the compensation they received. The law states that this is to be 50% of the monthly salary in the case of housekeepers, in the absence of a specific agreement for a higher or lower amount.

 Important Facts:

• The payment must be made during the first 20 days of December.
• Regular time and overtime must be included.
• Workers who end the contract before December should receive the aguinaldo too.
• Anyone who works over one month should receive it.
• Workers cannot lose the right to their aguinaldo, but they cannot claim it after six months have passed from the end of the contract.
• Workers who are on sick leave or who take a leave of absence without salary do not get credit for any payments made (like workmen’s comp).  This is because the payments are not salary, they are a “subsidy”.  The exception is for maternity leave, which is treated as a salary.

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