Countries › Peru › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Statutory benefits in Peru: the July and December gratificaciones, the CTS severance fund and 30 days of vacation

Statutory benefits in Peru: the July and December gratificaciones, the CTS severance fund and 30 days of vacation

Last verified: 2026-10-28 · Status: Changing

On top of 12 monthly salaries, private sector workers receive two gratificaciones of one salary each, paid in the first half of July and December, plus a 9 percent extraordinary bonus instead of EsSalud on them. Each May and November the employer deposits the CTS severance fund into the worker's chosen bank, worth about 1.17 salaries a year; until 31 December 2026 workers may withdraw 100 percent of it, and afterwards up to 50 percent. Workers earn 30 calendar days of paid vacation a year, which can be split or partly sold back down to 15 days, and vacation not taken within the following year costs one extra salary.

USD figures use S/ 3.452 per US dollar, the banking system selling rate published by the Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP for 27 October 2026, from the Banco Central de Reserva del Perú statistics series PD04640PD. UIT based amounts use the 2026 UIT of S/ 5,500 (Decreto Supremo Nº 301-2025-EF, as cited by SUNAT Resolución de Superintendencia Nº 000016-2026). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Statutory bonuses (two gratificaciones of one salary each)	60 days of salaryLey 27735 art. 1 and 2, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Extraordinary bonus paid to the worker on each gratificación (EsSalud amount)	9 %Ley 30334 art. 3, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Severance fund (CTS) deposits, by 15 May and 15 November	2 depositsTUO DL 650 (DS 001-97-TR) art. 21 and 22, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Approximate CTS cost per year (one salary plus one sixth)	1.17 monthly salariesTUO DL 650 (DS 001-97-TR) art. 18 and 21, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Minimum average daily hours to accrue CTS	4 hoursTUO DL 650 (DS 001-97-TR) art. 4, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Permanent free partial withdrawal of CTS	50 %DL 650 art. 42 as amended by Ley 32322, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Workers may withdraw 100 percent of CTS until	2026-12-31 dateLey 32322 single transitory provision, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Paid annual vacation	30 calendar daysDL 713 art. 10, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Minimum vacation that must be taken if part is sold back	15 calendar daysDL 713 art. 19 (DL 1405), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Indemnity for vacation not taken within the following year	1 monthly salaryDL 713 art. 23, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. Private sector workers receive two gratificaciones a year, for Fiestas Patrias and Christmas, whatever the contract type and length of service. Each equals the pay the worker receives when it falls due, counting basic pay and all regular amounts; variable pay counts if received in at least three months of the semester, averaged over six. They are paid in the first half of July and December.
Cost to do it: Two monthly salaries a year; on S/ 6,000 a month, S/ 12,000.00 (about US$3,476.25).
Example: A worker on S/ 6,000 a month with no variable pay receives S/ 6,000.00 in July and again in December. / About US$1,738.12 each time.Ley Nº 27735, gratificaciones por Fiestas Patrias y Navidad, Art. 1 to 5, 2002-05-28 official text · verified 2026-10-28

2. To receive a full gratificación the worker must be employed (or on vacation, paid leave or social security subsidy) when it falls due. A worker with less than six months receives it in proportion to months worked; a worker who left before the due date but worked at least one full month in the semester receives a proportional gratificación.
Example: A worker on S/ 6,000 who resigns on 31 March after three full months of the January to June semester is owed 3/6 x S/ 6,000 = S/ 3,000.00. / About US$869.06.Ley Nº 27735, Art. 6 and 7, 2002-05-28 official text · verified 2026-10-28

3. Gratificaciones bear no contributions or deductions other than those set by law or authorised by the worker. The EsSalud contribution the employer would have paid on them is paid to the worker as an extraordinary bonus that is neither remunerative nor pensionable.
Cost to do it: 9 percent of each gratificación; on S/ 6,000, S/ 540.00 per gratificación (about US$156.43).Ley Nº 30334, Art. 1 and 3, 2015-06-24 official text · verified 2026-10-28

4. The CTS is a social benefit to cover the contingencies of losing one's job. It accrues from the first full month of service, covers private sector workers who work at least four hours a day on average, and is deposited every six months in the institution the worker chooses; the deposit discharges the employer's obligation. Workers whose services end before completing a semester are paid directly within 48 hours.Texto Único Ordenado del Decreto Legislativo Nº 650, Ley de Compensación por Tiempo de Servicios (Decreto Supremo Nº 001-97-TR), Art. 1 to 4, 1997-03-01 official text · verified 2026-10-28

5. Employers deposit in May and November as many twelfths of the computable pay of April or October as full months worked in the semester, with fractions in thirtieths, within the first 15 calendar days of the month. Semestral payments such as the gratificaciones are added to computable pay at one sixth. New hires must tell the employer in writing by 30 April or 31 October which depositary, account type and currency they want; if they do not, the employer deposits into a fixed term account at any permitted institution.
Cost to do it: About 1.17 monthly salaries a year; on S/ 6,000 a month, S/ 7,000.00 a year (about US$2,027.81).
Example: November deposit for a worker on S/ 6,000 all semester: 6/12 x (S/ 6,000 + S/ 6,000 / 6) = S/ 3,500.00. / About US$1,013.90.Texto Único Ordenado del Decreto Legislativo Nº 650, Ley de Compensación por Tiempo de Servicios (Decreto Supremo Nº 001-97-TR), Art. 18, 21, 22 and 23, 1997-03-01 official text · verified 2026-10-28

6. CTS deposits and interest are intangible and can be attached only for child support, up to 50 percent; otherwise they are paid on termination. Workers can make free partial withdrawals of up to 50 percent of the deposits and interest, and workers diagnosed with a terminal illness or cancer can withdraw 100 percent at any time. As a one off measure, until 31 December 2026 workers may freely dispose of 100 percent of the CTS deposits accumulated with financial institutions.
Cost to do it: No employer cost; employers must still deposit on time even though workers can withdraw the funds.Ley Nº 32322, amending article 42 of Decreto Legislativo Nº 650; TUO DL 650 art. 37, Single article and single transitory provision; TUO art. 37, 2025-05-09 official text · verified 2026-10-28 · changed: Ley 32322 (El Peruano 9 May 2025) allowed workers to withdraw 100 percent of their CTS until 31 December 2026 and set a permanent 50 percent free withdrawal, with 100 percent for terminal illness or cancer.

7. Workers earn 30 calendar days of paid vacation for each full year of service, subject to the attendance record (for example 260 days worked on a six day week). Vacation pay equals what the worker would normally earn and is paid before the vacation starts. The timing is agreed or, failing agreement, set by the employer.Decreto Legislativo Nº 713, descansos remunerados, Art. 10, 14, 15 and 16, 1991-11-08 official text · verified 2026-10-28

8. At the worker's written request, vacation can be split: 15 days in blocks of seven and eight days, and the rest in blocks as short as one day. By written agreement vacation can be reduced from 30 to 15 days with 15 days of extra pay, charged to the part that can be split. Up to two vacation periods can be accumulated by written agreement if the worker takes at least seven days after each year.
Cost to do it: Selling back 15 days costs half a salary; on S/ 6,000, S/ 3,000.00 (about US$869.06).Decreto Legislativo Nº 713 as amended by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1405, Art. 17, 18 and 19, 2018-09-12 official text · verified 2026-10-28

9. Workers who leave after a full year without taking vacation are paid full vacation pay, and incomplete years are paid in twelfths and thirtieths. If vacation is not taken within the year after it is earned, the worker receives pay for the work, pay for the vacation and an indemnity of one more salary, which is free of contributions and taxes.
Cost to do it: One extra monthly salary per untaken period; on S/ 6,000, S/ 6,000.00 (about US$1,738.12).Decreto Legislativo Nº 713, Art. 22 and 23, 1991-11-08 official text · verified 2026-10-28

When	Benefit	Soles	US dollars
By 15 May	CTS deposit (November to April)	S/ 3,500.00	US$1,013.90
First half of July	Gratificación plus 9 percent bonus	S/ 6,540.00	US$1,894.55
By 15 November	CTS deposit (May to October)	S/ 3,500.00	US$1,013.90
First half of December	Gratificación plus 9 percent bonus	S/ 6,540.00	US$1,894.55
Each year of service	30 days of paid vacation (inside the 12 salaries)	Included in pay	Included in pay
Total benefits above 12 salaries		S/ 20,080.00	US$5,816.92

Statutory benefit calendar and amounts for a worker on S/ 6,000 a month all year (Ley 27735; Ley 30334 art. 3; DS 001-97-TR art. 18 and 21; DL 713; S/ 3.452 per US$).

Worked example

A Brazilian engineering firm's Peruvian branch pays a project engineer S/ 6,000 a month (about US$1,738.12).
In July and December it pays S/ 6,000.00 of gratificación plus S/ 540.00 of extraordinary bonus each time (Ley 27735 art. 2 and 5; Ley 30334 art. 3).
By 15 May and 15 November it deposits S/ 3,500.00 of CTS into the engineer's chosen bank (DS 001-97-TR art. 21 and 22); until 31 December 2026 the engineer may withdraw all of it (Ley 32322).
The engineer agrees in writing to take 15 days of vacation and sell back the other 15, receiving S/ 3,000.00 extra (DL 713 art. 19).
Over the year these benefits add S/ 20,080.00 (about US$5,816.92) to the 12 salaries.

Step by step

At hiring, ask the worker in writing to name a CTS depositary, account type and currency by 30 April or 31 October (DS 001-97-TR art. 23).
Deposit CTS within the first 15 calendar days of May and November and give the worker the settlement (art. 21 and 22).
Pay the gratificaciones and the 9 percent extraordinary bonus in the first half of July and December (Ley 27735 art. 5; Ley 30334 art. 3).
On any termination, pay pending CTS within 48 hours plus proportional gratificación and vacation (DS 001-97-TR art. 3; Ley 27735 art. 7; DL 713 art. 22).
Agree vacation dates every year and record them in the payroll; put any split, accumulation or sale back in writing (DL 713 art. 14, 17 to 20).
From 1 January 2027, expect workers' free CTS withdrawals to fall back to 50 percent unless Congress extends the temporary rule (Ley 32322).

Common traps

CTS computable pay includes one sixth of the gratificaciones, so the fund is more than one salary a year (DS 001-97-TR art. 18).
Workers' freedom to withdraw 100 percent of CTS until 31 December 2026 does not change the employer's duty to deposit on time (Ley 32322; DS 001-97-TR art. 22).
The 9 percent EsSalud amount on gratificaciones is still a cost: it goes to the worker as a bonus instead of to EsSalud (Ley 30334 art. 3).
Vacation not taken within the year after it is earned triggers a third salary for the same period (DL 713 art. 23).
Variable pay such as commissions enters the gratificación if received in at least three months of the semester (Ley 27735 art. 3).
Registered micro and small enterprises have a lighter benefit package; companies not registered in REMYPE owe the full benefits described here (see the small business labor regime).

Sources

← Working hours and overtime in Peru: 8 hours a day, 48 a week, 25 and 35 percent overtime, weekly rest and holidaysLeave and family protections in Peru: 98 days of maternity leave, 10 days of paternity leave, nursing time and sick pay →

Get rule changes weekly

Free. One email a week from The LatAm Thread.

One more step after you press the button: we take you to Substack, where your email is already filled in. Confirm there to start. No spam, unsubscribe anytime, we never share your address. By subscribing you agree to the privacy policy.