WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao government employees will receive a year-end bonus equivalent to 8 percent of their salary in December 2026, according to an announcement by Minister of Administration, Planning and Public Services Shalten Hato.
Hato announced the additional payment during the television program Relato di Dia, explaining that the year-end allowance, known in Dutch as an eindejaarsuitkering, will be equivalent to the 8 percent vacation allowance received by civil servants.
The announcement represents an additional financial benefit for government employees during the December holiday period.
Earlier government documentation confirms that Curaçao had already taken steps to increase the annual vacation allowance for civil servants from 6 percent to 8 percent. The adjustment was intended to improve employment conditions, address the effects of inflation and bring public-sector vacation benefits more closely in line with those in the private sector.
The newly announced year-end payment would provide civil servants with another allowance calculated at the same percentage as their vacation pay.
The announcement follows another recent improvement in employment conditions for government personnel. Effective October 1, 2026, civil servants became entitled to a full day off on their birthday instead of the previous half-day. The Council of Ministers approved that change on September 23.
Hato has described improvements in employment conditions as a way of recognizing the contribution of civil servants to government operations and public services.
The government has not yet provided further details about the precise calculation of the December bonus, eligibility requirements or the total financial impact on the national budget.
The 8 percent year-end allowance was reported by Hato during Relato di Dia. Curaçao Chronicle was unable to locate a separate official publication confirming the announcement at the time of writing.