Aguinaldo: Crucial Financial Boost During the Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, workers across Mexico readily await their aguinaldo (Christmas bonus), a mandatory payment that serves as a critical financial boost. This payment must be disbursed by Dec. 20 of each year. 

Employees in Mexico are entitled to receive at least 15 days of salary as a bonus for one year of service, according to Mexico’s government. If an employee has worked for less than a full year, they are entitled to a proportional payment based on the duration of their employment. This provision ensures that all workers, irrespective of the length of service, receive fair compensation.

The aguinaldo payment applies to all categories of workers. This includes permanent, temporary, seasonal, and probationary employees, as well as those undergoing initial training. The law covers base, trust, unionized, project-based, and time-specific employees, among others, as stipulated by the Federal Labor Law. 

"The aguinaldo is not a prize or a gift; it is a right of every worker," says Federico Rojas, Minister of Labor of Nuevo Leon.

Failure to pay the aguinaldo by the stipulated deadline can result in significant legal penalties for employers. Labor authorities impose fines for non-compliance, according to Nuevo Leon’s government. 

Recently, some have proposed amending the Federal Labor Law to set the minimum aguinaldo at 30 days of payment, as reported by Cobee. This initiative, still under discussion in Congress, reflects ongoing efforts to enhance workers' rights and ensure more substantial financial benefits for employees.

The Ministry of Labor offers a range of services for those who failed to receive their aguinaldo. These include guidance, advice, conciliation, and legal representation. This support framework is essential in protecting workers' rights and ensuring that the legal provisions are upheld.

The word aguinaldo originates from a Celtic tradition known as "eguinad," where New Year's gifts were exchanged to bring good fortune, as reported by Mexico's Government.