Are students and flexi-job workers entitled to an end-of-year bonus / 13th month?

Year-end is approaching, and the question comes back every time: does a student, flexi-job worker or temp worker qualify for an end-of-year bonus? In 2025, clear conditions once again apply per collective labour agreement (CLA) and sector. We break it down here in plain, non-legal terms, so you can apply it directly in your payroll and contracts. If you work with temporary contracts, it's a topic that resurfaces every year.

How much is the bonus?

The bonus amount depends on the sector, the CLA arrangements and whether a social fund is involved. In sectors where the 13th month is set at sector level, the bonus is calculated based on the salary, sometimes the gross salary. In other words, the amount comes down to the Joint Committee (JC) and the reference period.

Are all employees entitled to a bonus?

No, not every employee is automatically entitled to a bonus. The right only exists when it's granted in a collective labour agreement or in the work rules. Some sectors apply a fully guaranteed salary principle, but that's certainly not the case everywhere.

Does a 13th month exist for a student worker?

A student worker normally doesn't receive a classic thirteenth month. No Joint Committee provides for one, so students usually don't qualify for the bonus. They fall under a separate scheme: lower NSSO (National Social Security Office) contributions, fewer extra-legal benefits and no guaranteed bonuses.

Is a flexi-job worker entitled to a bonus?

A flexi-job worker doesn't get a standard 13th month either. In practice, there's no right to an end-of-year bonus for flexi-job workers, unless an employer chooses to pay one voluntarily as an extra-legal benefit, which is rare. The sectors where flexi-job workers are active have almost always excluded it.

How does the social fund work, and who pays?

For temp workers, it works differently: a dedicated social fund manages the bonuses, the bonus document and the payment. So the client employer doesn't pay the 13th month directly; it's centralised. That keeps the system administratively clear and legally sound.

When is a temp worker eligible for a bonus?

A temp worker is entitled to an end-of-year bonus once they've worked enough during the reference period, from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. This is binding through the collective labour agreement, so a sufficient number of days or hours worked must have been built up.

How much do you get, and how is it calculated?

The calculation for temp workers is set at sector level. You need enough days worked: 65 days or 494 hours to qualify. Days of occupational accident and certain days after the contract can count towards the calculation, depending on the Joint Committee.

What about the 65 days or 494 hours in 2025?

In 2025, the rule stays the same: at least 65 days or 494 hours worked between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. That's the hard threshold for the bonus to be granted. For most sectors, it's objective and legally clear enough.

Who gets a bonus document, and when is it paid?

The fund draws up the bonus document in December. Payment happens at the end of December, as the year closes, directly by the fund. Not through the client employer, and no trade union is needed as an intermediary.

What this means for employers using Recruit

Recruit makes sure your contracts line up correctly with the Joint Committee, and that conditions like the reference period, sector-specific rules, extra-legal bonuses and guaranteed salary are applied correctly and automatically. So you don't have to work out for yourself whether someone qualifies for an end-of-year bonus: the rules are applied correctly for each scheme, automatically.