Article 14 of Law No. 5953 opens with a single sentence: the agreed wage is paid monthly in advance. This is one of the differences from Law 4857 most often overlooked in practice — under the Labour Law the wage is paid after the work is done, whereas a journalist's wage is paid in advance at the start of the month.
What Does "In Advance" Mean?
Payment in advance means the wage for that month is paid at the beginning of the month. A payroll cycle that pays at month end does not comply with the article.
| Regime | Payment timing |
|---|---|
| Law 5953 (journalist) | Monthly in advance — at the start of the month |
| Law 4857 (worker) | In return for work performed, at least once a month |
The Second Consequence: No Clawback
The rest of the article sets out the natural consequence of advance payment: if the contract is terminated before its term and without the journalist's fault, the journalist is not obliged to return the unearned portion of the wage received in advance.
Example: a reporter who received a full month's wage in advance on the 1st, and whose contract is terminated on the 10th without their fault, cannot be asked to repay the wage for the remaining 20 days.
The Sanction for Non-Payment
Article 27(a) provides an administrative fine for each journalist against an employer who, without necessity, fails to pay the Article 14 wage on time or pays it without depositing it into a bank. Because the fine runs per person, the total grows quickly on a large staff.
Bottom Line
A journalist's wage is paid monthly in advance. Where the contract is terminated early without the journalist's fault, the unearned portion of the advance cannot be reclaimed. The social security premiums on additional payments must also be paid.
The bank requirement is covered in the bank payment article, and the consequences of delay in the late payment article.
Social Security Premiums on Additional Payments
The same article imposes a further obligation: the social security premiums of additional payments must be paid. Items paid outside the monthly contractual wage — commissioned pieces, royalties, overtime — cannot be left out of the premium base.
Payment for work outside the contract is covered in the extra pay article.