13th Month Pay to Release On or Before December 25, 2014

According to Department of Labor and Employment/DOLE reminded all employers to release 13th month pay on or before December 25, 2014. The 13th month pay is a general standard practice in the Philippines.Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz reminded employers in the private sectors to give the 13th month pay on or before December 25, 2014.

DOLE also clarified that the 13th month pay is defined as one-twelfth (1/12) of the employees’ basic salary in a calendar year. The basic salary includes all renumerations or earnings paid by an employer to an employee for services rendered.

“The 13th month pay must be paid on or before 24 December of every year. This year, the 24th of December falls on a Wednesday, so employers may pay their workers the 13th month benefit on this day, but I urge them to pay earlier to avoid the rush,” Baldoz said.

The DOLE also advised that if employers could not give the intended 13th month pay, employees can file a case with any DOLE regional office.

 All employers are hereby required to pay all their employees receiving a basic salary of not more than P1,000 a month, regardless of the nature of their employment, a 13th-month pay not later than December 24 of every year. 

"Basic salary" shall include all remunerations or earnings paid by an employer to an employee for services rendered but may not include cost-of-living allowances granted, profit-sharing payments, and all allowances and monetary benefits which are not considered or integrated as part of the regular or basic salary of the employee at the time of the promulgation