In Costa Rica, and in most Latin American countries (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, etc.) the aguinaldo—a legally-mandated Christmas bonus—is an acquired labor right and is meant to provide workers with additional financial security. Unlike discretionary year-end bonuses in the United States, this one is an obligatory payment enforced by Costa Rican labor law.Employers are required to pay an amount equivalent to one month’s salary at the end of each year, effectively making it a “thirteenth” month. For this reason—at the end of October—the bells start ringing, announcing the arrival of the much-acclaimed “extra salary,” which will be paid in December.For the sake of precision, there’s no need to look far. The definition is found in our own legislation. For example, in the
Read More »2024-11-21