With the end of the year comes the time for New Years! A French tradition which allows you to thank with a financial gesture your postman, the garbage collectors, the firefighters, but also your childminder, your cleaning lady or your nanny… How much to give and should you declare the amount for taxes? Answers.
When the month of December arrives, the postman, the garbage collectors or even the firefighters go door to door offering a calendar or greeting cards. Everyone is free to donate the amount they wish. These are the end of year gifts, a tradition deeply rooted in French society. But the gifts do not only concern these workers, it is also customary to give a bonus to his housekeeper, his childminder, his nanny, his caretaker or even his gardener.
How much to donate at the end of the year?
There is no rule or law fixing the amount of gifts. The very fact of paying a small sum of money to an employee is not at all an obligation. Everyone is free to do so, or not to do so, and to set the amount as they wish. However, it is important to remember that Christmas gifts can be an opportunity to thank an employee for the quality of their work. A real plus for professions (housekeeper, home help, concierge, etc.) that are often little considered and whose salary is rarely very high. You obviously have to do it within your own means, without putting yourself in difficulty. This can correspond to 10 euros, 30, 50 euros, or even much more.
As France Emploi Domicile reminds us, above 1500 euros, it is obligatory to pay the amount by check or transfer. For smaller amounts, an envelope with cash is perfect.
When to pay the gifts?
Again, there are no rules. Some employers like to give this bonus before Christmas while others prefer to wait until the start of the year. It’s a bit like wishing a happy new year, it is estimated that this makes sense until around January 15. Of course, it is entirely possible to pay the gifts a little later if you wish.
New Years: do they need to be declared?
The amount paid for New Years must normally be declared as a “bonus” on cesu.urssaf.fr, the site on which the employee’s hours are recorded each month. In fact, this small amount is most often not declared. The employee himself does not need to declare it for taxes. The tax administration turns a blind eye on this point.