Gratificaciones are legally mandated bonus payments in Peru that every employer must pay to all workers. The term translates to "bonuses" or "gratuities," but unlike discretionary bonuses, these are required by Peruvian labor law and cannot be reduced or eliminated.
Payment Schedule and Amount
Employees receive two gratificaciones per year: one in July for Fiestas Patrias (Peru's Independence Day) and one in December for Christmas. Each payment equals one full month's gross salary. Employees who haven't worked the complete semester receive a proportional gratificación based on complete months worked.
Tax and Social Security Treatment
Gratificaciones are exempt from social security contributions (EsSalud and pension), which means employees receive the full gross amount without deductions. However, employers must pay an additional 9% bonificación extraordinaria on top of the gratificación to compensate for the EsSalud exemption.
EOR Relevance
EOR providers in Peru manage gratificación calculations, proration for partial semesters, and the bonificación extraordinaria payment. These must be paid by July 15 and December 15 respectively, and late payments trigger automatic penalties.