There are many reasons to live in Puerto Vallarta, but one advantage is the ability to hire affordable household help. You may have a housekeeper, nanny, handyman, or gardener, and these hardworking employees can become essential parts of your family, making your home run more smoothly, and your life easier. As the Malecon and Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone begin to look festive with the holiday season soon approaching, you may be wondering how you can give your dedicated household employees some well-deserved recognition.
Purchasing a present is a thoughtful idea, but separate from that, you should be aware that under Mexican Federal Law, household employees that come to your Puerto Vallarta home weekly are entitled to a holiday bonus or “aguinaldo”. An aquinaldo is an extra 2 weeks of salary. For example, if your housekeeper works twice per week, you will owe her 4 days of salary, plus her regular 2 days of salary, making 6 days owning in total.
The same rule apply would apply if you have a regular nanny, gardener, or pool servicer. However, if you have a gardener who comes every few weeks to trim bushes, it’s acceptable and much appreciated to give them a tip of one average day’s pay. For your go-to handyman, a tip of 250 pesos or more depending on the work level and how frequently they visit is appreciated.
Some other important details to know: if any of your household employees are scheduled to work on December 25th, or January 1st, they should be given those days off – with pay – as they are recognized Federal holidays. The workday is also abbreviated on December 24th, and December 31st, and should end by 2pm, so that employees can celebrate the holidays with their family.
Holiday bonuses in Puerto Vallarta should be paid by December 20th, but for casual workers, make sure to tip them by January 1st.
Now that you understand the importance of aquinaldo, you’re sure to establish strong and loyal relationships with your household employees this holiday season and stay within the legal requirements of employing household help in Puerto Vallarta.
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