If you’re a typical Canadian or American living in Puerto Vallarta, it’s likely that you’ve discovered having help around the house is an affordable option due to the lower cost of living in Mexico. You may have a housekeeper or a gardener, many families have part or full-time nannies, and it’s not uncommon to have a regular handyman or plumber that comes to help around the house from time to time. With the holidays here, how do you show some seasonal gratitude to these wonderful people that make your life easier? We’ve got answers.
Housekeepers: If your housekeeper comes on a regular weekly basis, she is entitled to an “aguinaldo” (holiday bonus) under Mexican Federal Law. The aguinaldo is the equivalent to two weeks salary, so if your housekeeper works two days per week, you will owe 4 days of daily salary as a bonus, in addition to her regular pay. Furthermore, if your housekeeper is scheduled to work on December 25th or January 1st, those are Federal Holidays, so a day off with pay is appropriate, and work generally ends by 2pm on December 24th and December 31st to allow people to prepare for celebrations with their families.
Gardeners: The same rules apply to gardeners as per weekly housekeepers, but if you have a gardener that comes on a less regular schedule – every few weeks or so for a couple of hours to trim bushes – then a tip of an average day’s pay is generally very appreciated.
Nanny: A regularly-scheduled nanny, full or part-time, should receive a two week aguinaldo the same as a housekeeper, and should also receive December 25 and January 1st as days off with pay, and December 24th and 31st should be considered half days, at most.
Handyman: If you have a go-to handyman when things need fixing around the house, a tip starting around 250 pesos and increasing depending on how frequently you have work required, is appropriate.
Christmas bonuses should be paid by December 20th so make every effort to do so, but for more casual workers, a bonus paid between now and January 1 would be much appreciated.
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