Who is qualified for a bonus?

All through the festive season, people on the Internet complained on a number of occasions about the domestic workers in their houses asking for bonuses in the form of money. What enraged them was the range of requests: right from a month’s salary to the equivalent amount of a measly sweet box. Many boasted about standing firm and not giving into such “demands”.

These discussions are not new though. Ahead of every festive season, an iteration of the same plays out just as much on social media as well as in our homes. While some users pointed out that Deepavali bonuses are a feature of most formal workplaces in India, many were quick to object that even corporate firms gave out only meagre packages, often reducing it to a sweet box or goodies hamper.

Therefore, househelps are not ‘entitled’ to bonuses, and should accept what they get, if at all they do.