This cartoon was first published in The Costa Rica Star, December 14, 2018.
Aguinaldo is basically a Christmas bonus. In the United States, bonuses are at the employer’s discretion. When I worked at The Free Lance-Star, we had Christmas bonuses, and then they went away for another type of bonus in the summer, which also went away very silently. Then, it was like we weren’t supposed to talk about bonuses, pay was reduced, and we were all just hoping to keep our jobs which most of us did not. But, yeah. The bonuses weren’t forced by the government. In Costa Rica, it’s law.
It’s not a perk, which is something American companies used to use to compete for the best employees (That now seems so long ago). It’s the 13th month salary and it has to be paid to every employee in the nation, government, private, even undocumented. Everyone gets a full month salary. Even if you’re an expat living in Costa Rica and you hired someone to work on your home for any length of time, even for a day, expect them to come back around in December looking for that same payment. You have to pay it. There are sanctions if you don’t. A business can be closed down if their violation is bad enough.
Also, there’s no retention, withholding, or tax added.
Basically, Santa has to pay the Aguinaldo or there won’t be a Christmas. See what socialism does? It’s horrible. How do I get me some of that socialism?
Be Complicit
You can purchase a signed print of this cartoon.
Watch me draw.
CLAYTOONZ 
“See what socialism does? It’s horrible. How do I get me some of that socialism?“
Great if you are an employee, not so much if you are an employer.
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Yeah, this sounds like the contractors we hired last year could come back around looking for another $8000. 😮
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Do people on Welfare get an extra month of benefits too?😉
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I guess people need their Aguinaldo to pay their Marchamo, eh?😉
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