Every worker in a dependency relationship with an employer in the public or private sector has the right to the payment of an annual salary bonus, known as Bonus 14.
This benefit, in force since 1992 and regulated by Decree 42-92 of the Congress of the Republic, Annual Bonus Law for Private and Public Sector Workers, is granted as an additional salary per year, independent of the bonus.
According to article 2 of said law, Bonus 14 is equivalent to 100% of the ordinary salary earned by the worker in a month, for those who have worked at the employer’s service during the uninterrupted year prior to the payment date.or the amount proportional to the time worked.
When should Bonus 14 be paid?
The law establishes that Bonus 14 must be paid during the first half of July of each year, that is, between July 1 and 15in a single payment and mandatory by the employer.
For workers who end their employment relationship before July, the law requires the employer to pay the proportional part corresponding to the time elapsed between July 1 of the previous year and the date of termination of the contract. For this calculation, the period between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the current year is considered.
How is Bonus 14 calculated?
According to article 2 of the Annual Bonus Law for Workers, Bonus 14 is calculated based on the ordinary salary earned or on the average of salaries received between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the current year.
Those who have worked continuously during that period must receive an amount equivalent to their monthly salary. For those who have not completed that time, the calculation is proportional and follows these steps:
- Determine the ordinary salary. The period worked must be established and all salaries received must be added. This can be done using the operation: salary × days worked.
- Calculate the proportional amount. The total sum is divided among the 365 days of the year.
Observation: This calculation is made without including the incentive bonus. Only the base salary should be taken into account.
Calculation example on a manual calculator
- Multiply the monthly salary by the days worked:Operation 1: Q3,723.05 × 179 days = Q666,425.95
- Divide the result by 365 days:Operation 2: Q666,425.95 ÷ 365 = Q1,825.82
Below we share a guide to calculate Bonus 14 in Excel.
What is not taken into account for the calculation?
For the payment of this bonus, only the ordinary salary is considered. That is, the incentive bonus of Q250, overtime and other extraordinary payments are excluded.
Furthermore, this benefit does not apply to workers hired for fees to provide professional services or to those who receive a daily salary and do not reach the minimum monthly salary. In these cases, the employer can decide whether to grant the bonus.
What to do if I am not paid Bonus 14?
If the 15 business days established for payment elapse and the employer has not complied with this obligation, the worker who meets the requirements of an employment relationship can go to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security to file a complaint.
With this complaint, the Mintrab, through the General Labor Inspection, is obliged to verify the non-compliance. If non-payment is proven, the entity must impose the corresponding economic and judicial sanctions on the employer.