Entity · EOR · Payroll · Compliance

IRPR
Payroll and Labour|Glossary entry|2 min read

Payment of Bonus Act 1965

Bonus Act

Statute requiring payment of annual bonus to eligible employees earning up to INR 21,000 per month, at a minimum of 8.33 percent and maximum of 20 percent of annual wages.

Filing window

Bonus payable within 8 months from the close of the accounting year

Regulator

Ministry of Labour and Employment; state labour departments

Regulator

Ministry of Labour and Employment; state labour departments

Deadline

Bonus payable within 8 months from the close of the accounting year

Penalty

Imprisonment up to 6 months or fine up to INR 1,000 for non-...

Legal basis

Payment of Bonus Act, 1965

§ 01
Definition

What is Payment of Bonus Act 1965?

Statute requiring payment of annual bonus to eligible employees earning up to INR 21,000 per month, at a minimum of 8.33 percent and maximum of 20 percent of annual wages.

Applies to
  • +Every factory and establishment employing 20 or more persons
  • +Eligible employees: those who have worked at least 30 working days and earn up to INR 21,000 per month
  • +Allocable surplus determines actual bonus percentage between 8.33 and 20 percent
§ 02
Citation

Statutory basis

Payment of Bonus Act, 1965

Enforced by

Ministry of Labour and Employment; state labour departments

Citations are editorially curated. Always verify current applicability with qualified Indian counsel before acting on a specific matter.

§ 03
Why it matters

The stake

Bonus payable within 8 months from the close of the accounting year

Filing window for Payment of Bonus Act 1965. Skipping or mishandling this compliance carries direct financial and operational consequences.

Why Payment of Bonus Act 1965 matters for your GCC

Payment of Bonus Act 1965 is a payroll and labour requirement for foreign-owned Indian entities and GCCs. Missing the bonus payable within 8 months from the close of the accounting year obligation triggers imprisonment up to 6 months or fine up to inr 1,000 for non-payment; recovery proceedings by authorities, and downstream filings or transactions may be blocked until rectification. Most foreign parents discover Payment of Bonus Act 1965 issues only when a downstream transaction surfaces the prior gap, by which point rectification costs and operational delays have grown materially. Proactive handling avoids these cascading consequences.

§ 04
Pitfalls

The 4 ways Payment of Bonus Act 1965 goes wrong

Real scenarios from real GCC compliance audits. Each one preventable.

01

Trap 01

Failing to register under Payment of Bonus Act 1965 when the headcount or wage threshold is crossed

02

Trap 02

Computing contributions or benefits on incorrect wage components

03

Trap 03

Missing the monthly contribution deadline and triggering interest plus damages

04

Trap 04

Not updating registration upon change in establishment size, address, or workforce composition

§ 05
IRPR Network handles this

Done for you

Payroll Management

IRPR Network handles Payment of Bonus Act 1965 as part of our Payroll Management service, with timely filings, supporting-document validation, citation tracking, and a zero-penalty compliance calendar.

Our workflow

  1. 01Identify the trigger event in your GCC operations
  2. 02Prepare and validate the Payment of Bonus Act 1965 filing or compliance step
  3. 03Submit to the regulator and obtain acknowledgement
  4. 04Track in your compliance calendar for ongoing or recurring obligations
§ 07
Questions

Asked about Payment of Bonus Act 1965

5 specific questions that GCC operators ask most often, answered with citations to the relevant regulations.

Need help with Payment of Bonus Act 1965?

IRPR Network manages Payment of Bonus Act 1965 as part of Payroll Management, with a zero-penalty guarantee.

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Q01

What is Payment of Bonus Act 1965 and who does it apply to?

+

Statute requiring payment of annual bonus to eligible employees earning up to INR 21,000 per month, at a minimum of 8.33 percent and maximum of 20 percent of annual wages. For foreign-owned GCCs, Payment of Bonus Act 1965 applies to every factory and establishment employing 20 or more persons. IRPR Network handles Payment of Bonus Act 1965 as part of our Payroll Management service.

Q02

When is Payment of Bonus Act 1965 due?

+

Payment of Bonus Act 1965 is due bonus payable within 8 months from the close of the accounting year. Late filing triggers imprisonment up to 6 months or fine up to inr 1,000 for non-payment; recovery proceedings by authorities.

Q03

What law governs Payment of Bonus Act 1965?

+

Payment of Bonus Act 1965 is governed by Payment of Bonus Act, 1965. The compliance is enforced by Ministry of Labour and Employment; state labour departments.

Q04

What is the penalty for non-compliance with Payment of Bonus Act 1965?

+

Non-compliance attracts: Imprisonment up to 6 months or fine up to INR 1,000 for non-payment; recovery proceedings by authorities IRPR Network's compliance retainer is designed to prevent these exposures through proactive filing, citation tracking, and a defined compliance calendar.

Q05

Who handles Payment of Bonus Act 1965 for foreign-owned GCCs in India?

+

IRPR Network handles Payment of Bonus Act 1965 end-to-end as part of our Payroll Management service. Our team prepares filings, coordinates with regulators, validates supporting documents, and tracks all related deadlines on a defined compliance calendar.

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Handle Payment of Bonus Act 1965 the right way, the first time.

Book a 30-minute consultation. We will map your Payment of Bonus Act 1965 obligations alongside every other India compliance for your GCC, on one calendar, one retainer.

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