● Virtual Assistant Payment Expectations When you decide to hire a virtual assistant full-time, you need to research the public holidays in their country. If the person is going to work part-time, this step may not be necessary. ● In the Philippines, there is something called “Bonus 13 th Month Pay.” This is required if you own a company in the Philippines, or if you employ someone from that country. Let’s assume that you own a business in the Philippines, and you have employees working for you. You are required to pay this bonus to each employee. Therefore, in December, you pay anyone who has been working for you for at least a year an entire additional month’s paycheck. I usually pay this before the holidays, so they have time to shop and prepare for the season. You can also consider giving that person a week or two off somewhere over Christmas. If you choose to do that, you’ll be paying them two months’ salary despite the fact that they’re only working two weeks. If they have only been working for you for six months prior to Christmas, you can prorate the bonus. If it were the middle of the year, you’d just pay for half a month extra. Similarly, if they have only been with you for three months, then you’d give them 25% of a month’s pay extra. ● Regarding holiday pay, you have two options in the Philippines. First, you can offer your Filipino employee the five paid holidays that an American employee would receive: Christmas, New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Thanksgiving. This is not terribly desirable for them, because some of those holidays do not match their own public holidays. Your second option is to recognize the Filipino holidays and give your assistants those days off with pay. You can also offer to pay them overtime if they choose to work on Filipino holidays. It is then expected that you would pay them double on those days. If you pay someone $500 a month, divide that by 20 days to get $25 dollars a day. That is not a high sum to double.
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