Dominican wages / salaries

[Shogun Warrior]

The exact thing informed mongers should think about when the bitch gives you a quote of $100.00 for a shot of that ass. In my opinion,................................ the price of ass in Sosua, should now drop back down to $1000.00 PESO.

[whynotme]

Are you serious or this is some crazy made up example. Who would rape their mother?!?!?

when I was working in the prison system you wouldn't believe the sick puppies that came thru our doors

we even had a grandma rapist and she was 83

[WSJ3]

when I was working in the prison system you wouldn't believe the sick puppies that came thru our doors

we even had a grandma rapist and she was 83

Unbelievable well I shouldn't be surprised people are nuts...

[Ghost Dog]

Ok, come to the DR and live like people here do. Food is cheaper? Really? Eat only rice and beans with a few extras now and then and live in a roach infested house with a leaky roof and without most utilities and etc. The healthcare for the poor would kill you...

Ohmmmm-

As a small business owner on the ground there, I would like to know what you think about about this, do you think the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" message that I hear often preached in the United States would or has worked in the Dominican Republic? or does the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, work three jobs if you have too" work in certain contexts i.e first world / industrialize countries? thanks for your feedback

[jose1234]

Ohmmmm-

As a small business owner on the ground there, I would like to know what you think about about this, do you think the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" message that I hear often preached in the United States would or has worked in the Dominican Republic? or does the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, work three jobs if you have too" work in certain contexts i.e first world / industrialize countries? thanks for your feedback

In this country, the Government, police and military is corrupt... People who make a good living here either do it by corruption or bring money in from another country. There are few examples here of doing the right thing and doing well. The mindset is to live for today or survive this day or week. The concept of working hard to save money for your kids good education or retirement or for something they want even in a few months time is not in most peoples minds.

In example, if a family member is saving money and someone in the family gets sick (they have large families and someone is always sick or in trouble) then they are expected to share and they feel compelled to do so. Another example, some crooks in Santo Domingo shot a security person and and stole his gun. You know how they got caught? The crooks tried to sell the gun the next day... The next day!!! How stupid, but that is the thinking...

The new President of the country seems to be taking the country toward a better and more honest path, but its against the grain of the culture. I wish him success.

All this being said, there is a minority of people here that are honest. So I don't want to be prejudiced, but I would caution anyone thinking they would have an easy time doing business here, investing or working even small deals that might involve money and trust. Some people have done ok here, but its extremely difficult. The mindset is that gringos are for money and that goes from the top of food chain in Santo Domingo to the lawyers to the local government offices to the police on down to the putas... And gringos are not singled out only...that mindset goes to anyone with money here or is thought to have money...

I enjoy life here now, but I drive a small car, dress poorly and don't flash anything of value. When I go out, I tend to hang with the Haitians as I feel its a bit safer that way because they, overall, seem to be less of a problem as they could be deported easily if a problem arises and they are discriminated against by the Dominicans... i.e. I could pay off a policeman easily to take care of a problem with a Haitian much easier than if I had a problem with a Dominican...

[Gutter Meat]

consider on top of the wages are the benefits one must pay,,,,and they are crazy....about 14 paid holidays a year,,,,2 weeks vacation,,,and the two weeks is more like 3 weeks because you have to give 14 days pay,,,,so if one works five days a week and gets 14 days wages,,,figure....on top of that is payments to their health plan,,,almost impossible to fire someone for any reason,,,theft, damage, no shows,,,etc...to let someone go you have to pay severance of 28 days, plus plus plus plus,,,,if the government did not have such horrific benefits one can pay more for those who deserve,,,but for now figure an extra 35% minimum in costs on top of wages

I could never understand the severance package. So someone steals from you and you fire them but you still have to pay them for a month ?? I mean who would enforce this if you didn't pay? I don't think the police would get involved in this civil matter , but then again if there's something in it for them they may.

[whynotme]

I could never understand the severance package. So someone steals from you and you fire them but you still have to pay them for a month ?? I mean who would enforce this if you didn't pay? I don't think the police would get involved in this civil matter , but then again if there's something in it for them they may.

labour laws are fucked up all over the world.

I bought a business in Canada and found out an employee was stealing (almost $1,000 every week ) and fired him within 90 days of me taking over the business.
he then took me to the labour board and during the hearing they said that I owed him 17 weeks severance pay (he had worked for the previous owner 17 years) because I didn't charge him with theft.

I asked for a continuance so I could go and have him arrested
long story short he withdrew his claim for severance

[rahsta]

Ohmmmm-

As a small business owner on the ground there, I would like to know what you think about about this, do you think the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" message that I hear often preached in the United States would or has worked in the Dominican Republic? or does the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, work three jobs if you have too" work in certain contexts i.e first world / industrialize countries? thanks for your feedback

I think it only works in the U.S. There are alot of oppertunities here in the good ol' US of A.

[MrHappy]

I could never understand the severance package. So someone steals from you and you fire them but you still have to pay them for a month ?? I mean who would enforce this if you didn't pay? I don't think the police would get involved in this civil matter , but then again if there's something in it for them they may.

I've explained this before. Long story short, the Labor Board is VERY biased in favor of the employee. David & Goliath. Poor employee against the big, RICH, American corporation.

Over the years, I've been involved (either directly or indirectly) in letting go hundreds of employees who have gone through the entire process of verbal and written warnings before dismissal, employees caught on video tape stealing, and even employees caught with stolen goods on their person (one guy with close to $40K dollars of diodes in a backpack), and all of them went to the labor board and got a ruling in their favor.

That, plus the fact you have to waste literally dozens of hours (and days) in hearings, driving back and forth, lawyers(yep, lawyers in a dismissal hearing) and when all is said and done, it would have been cheaper to just pay them off in the first place.

If you try to have them arrested for theft, you enter the Dominican justice system, where you can go to court dozens of times with no resolution, which is a horrible waste of time and effort, and usually doesn't resolve anything.

The only way you don't have to pay liquidation is if an employee quits. They never quit however, they simply degrade their performance, screw up production output, etc, etc until you fire them. That can be even more expensive. Imagine fucking up ten's of thousands of dollars of raw materials.

So, what most companies do is tell the employees if they give two weeks advance notice, you'll pay their liquidation. They work happy until the last day, they get a nice check at the end, you get the opportunity to find a new employee without disrupting production, and when all is said and done, it's the cheapest option, and a win/win to boot.

In the long run, it makes more sense to pay them off and get rid of them.

[rahsta]

I've explained this before. Long story short, the Labor Board is VERY biased in favor of the employee. David & Goliath. Poor employee against the big, RICH, American corporation.

Over the years, I've been involved (either directly or indirectly) in letting go hundreds of employees who have gone through the entire process of verbal and written warnings before dismissal, employees caught on video tape stealing, and even employees caught with stolen goods on their person (one guy with close to $40K dollars of diodes in a backpack), and all of them went to the labor board and got a ruling in their favor.

That, plus the fact you have to waste literally dozens of hours (and days) in hearings, driving back and forth, lawyers(yep, lawyers in a dismissal hearing) and when all is said and done, it would have been cheaper to just pay them off in the first place.

If you try to have them arrested for theft, you enter the Dominican justice system, where you can go to court dozens of times with no resolution, which is a horrible waste of time and effort, and usually doesn't resolve anything.

The only way you don't have to pay liquidation is if an employee quits. They never quit however, they simply degrade their performance, screw up production output, etc, etc until you fire them. That can be even more expensive. Imagine fucking up ten's of thousands of dollars of raw materials.

So, what most companies do is tell the employees if they give two weeks advance notice, you'll pay their liquidation. They work happy until the last day, they get a nice check at the end, you get the opportunity to find a new employee without disrupting production, and when all is said and done, it's the cheapest option, and a win/win to boot.

In the long run, it makes more sense to pay them off and get rid of them.

I guess they cant use you for a job reference.

[donquixote]

I wonder what the average worker on beach (someone that rents you a chair, brings you food / drinks ) would make in tips on a good day (say Sunday)?

I would say 2000 peso, but let me clarify it not just tips...most of them increase the charge that the services cost...if your food was 300 peso, chances are you will be billed more...unless you have a menu with the prices you wont know...

[MrHappy]

I guess they cant use you for a job reference.

The ones that give two weeks notice? Sure!

But references are tricky.

Give somebody a bad reference, and they can take you to court. Most companies now only confirm employment.

Also, lots of folks here will put a family member or friend that will give them a "glowing" reference, so you have to be really careful checking references.

[donquixote]

I could never understand the severance package. So someone steals from you and you fire them but you still have to pay them for a month ?? I mean who would enforce this if you didn't pay? I don't think the police would get involved in this civil matter , but then again if there's something in it for them they may.

this is enforced with the labour board,,,believe me,,,,you can not win...

[Leche]

It's a subject like this that makes me feel glad, and blessed, to have been born an American. Period!

...................................................Canadian as well.

[whynotme]

...................................................Canadian as well.

except for the super high taxes and the high prices of gas/boose/cigs/chicas/ and divorce settlements

[Gutter Meat]

Never heard of this......................

3.3.Christmas Salary

In addition to his regular salary, every employee in the Dominican Republic receives, on or before December 20, a so-called “Christmas salary” equal to one-twelfth (1/12) of the total regular salary earned during the year (Art. 220). To calculate the Christmas salary, only the regular salary received is taken into account, excluding tips, overtime and benefits received from profit sharing. The Labor Code establishes a maximum Christmas Salary of five times the minimum wage. However, many employers waive this limitation and pay employees who have worked the whole year a full extra monthly salary.

[Gutter Meat]

Severance Pay
Time Employed Severance
3 to 6 months 6 days’ salary
6 to 12 months 13 days’ salary
1 to 5 years 21 days per year
Over 5 years 23 days per year

[whynotme]

Severance Pay
Time Employed Severance
3 to 6 months 6 days’ salary
6 to 12 months 13 days’ salary
1 to 5 years 21 days per year
Over 5 years 23 days per year

that's even worse than any north American standard severance pay
guess they should just be laid off and rehired every 5 months

[Kevy]

that's even worse than any north American standard severance pay
guess they should just be laid off and rehired every 5 months

That is why Herman fired them every 3 months. No severance.

[bailar]

That is why Herman fired them every 3 months. No severance.

Nice guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!