Resignation vs unjust dismissal in Guatemala: 3 real payout cases (2026)
If you are comparing a voluntary resignation package with an unjustified dismissal payout in Guatemala, the structural gap is usually Art. 82 indemnización (severance): about one month of ordinary salary per year worked, pro-rated. Resignation normally does not include that line. Both paths still need proportional aguinaldo, Bono 14, and unused vacation.
Run your own dates: Resignation vs dismissal comparator · Severance calculator · Full liquidación
Short answer
| Exit type | Art. 82 severance? | Typical package contents | |---|---|---| | Voluntary resignation | No | Proportional Christmas bonus + Bono 14 + unused vacation + unpaid wages | | Unjustified dismissal | Yes (1 month/year reference) | Same benefits plus indemnización (notice pay may sit outside this model) | | Justified dismissal (proven) | Usually no | Proportional benefits without unjust-dismissal severance | | Mutual agreement | Only if bargained | Whatever the signed settlement says |
Figures below use the same educational engine as Calcufast’s comparator. They exclude notice pay and the last unpaid payroll slice so you can see the severance gap cleanly. Not an official settlement.
How the model builds the numbers
Severance (unjust dismissal only) ≈ monthly salary × (days worked ÷ 365)
Aguinaldo (proportional) ≈ (salary ÷ 12) × months into the Christmas-bonus period at exit
Bono 14 (proportional) ≈ (salary ÷ 12) × months into the Bono 14 period at exit
Unused vacation ≈ (salary ÷ 30) × unused days
Legal frame (for orientation): Guatemala Labor Code (Decree 1441) termination/severance rules; Decree 76-78 (aguinaldo); Decree 42-92 (Bono 14). Editorial check: 1 Aug 2026.
Case 1 — Q5,000 · ~3 years · 10 vacation days
- Salary: Q5,000/month
- Start: 1 Mar 2023 · End: 1 Mar 2026 (~1,096 days ≈ 3.0 years)
- Unused vacation: 10 days
| Line item | Resignation | Unjust dismissal (ref.) | |---|---:|---:| | Severance (indemnización) | Q0 | Q15,013.70 | | Proportional aguinaldo | Q1,666.67 | Q1,666.67 | | Proportional Bono 14 | Q3,750.00 | Q3,750.00 | | Vacation (10 days) | Q1,666.67 | Q1,666.67 | | Estimated total | Q7,083.33 | Q22,097.03 |
Gap: Q15,013.70 — almost entirely severance. If someone pressures you to “just resign” with the same tenure, that is the order of magnitude at stake.
Case 2 — Q8,000 · ~18 months · 5 vacation days
- Salary: Q8,000/month
- Start: 15 Sep 2024 · End: 15 Mar 2026 (~546 days ≈ 1.5 years)
- Unused vacation: 5 days
| Line item | Resignation | Unjust dismissal (ref.) | |---|---:|---:| | Severance | Q0 | Q11,967.12 | | Proportional aguinaldo | Q2,666.67 | Q2,666.67 | | Proportional Bono 14 | Q6,000.00 | Q6,000.00 | | Vacation (5 days) | Q1,333.33 | Q1,333.33 | | Estimated total | Q10,000.00 | Q21,967.12 |
Gap: Q11,967.12. Even at ~18 months, severance can exceed the full resignation benefit stack in this example.
Case 3 — Q3,500 · ~5 years · 15 vacation days
- Salary: Q3,500/month
- Start: 10 Jan 2021 · End: 10 Jan 2026 (~1,826 days ≈ 5.0 years)
- Unused vacation: 15 days
| Line item | Resignation | Unjust dismissal (ref.) | |---|---:|---:| | Severance | Q0 | Q17,509.59 | | Proportional aguinaldo | Q583.33 | Q583.33 | | Proportional Bono 14 | Q2,041.67 | Q2,041.67 | | Vacation (15 days) | Q1,750.00 | Q1,750.00 | | Estimated total | Q4,375.00 | Q21,884.59 |
Gap: Q17,509.59. Long tenure with a modest salary still produces a large dismissal-side total because severance scales with years.
Three-case snapshot
| Case | Salary | Tenure | Resignation total | Dismissal total (ref.) | Difference | |---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:| | 1 | Q5,000 | ~3 years | Q7,083 | Q22,097 | Q15,014 | | 2 | Q8,000 | ~1.5 years | Q10,000 | Q21,967 | Q11,967 | | 3 | Q3,500 | ~5 years | Q4,375 | Q21,885 | Q17,510 |
Proportional bonuses move with exit month (bonus periods). The structural resignation vs unjust-dismissal split is severance.
Practical checklist after a dismissal
- Get the reason in writing.
- Do not sign a blanket “full settlement” without a line-item breakdown.
- Use ordinary salary, not take-home after IGSS/ISR.
- Plug real dates into the resignation vs dismissal tool.
- If you are being pushed to resign, keep messages and witnesses; constructive dismissal claims need evidence.
- Cross-check finiquito and standalone severance.
Costly mistakes
- Assuming every “liquidación” includes Art. 82 severance.
- Rounding tenure down to whole years only.
- Signing a resignation the same day as a verbal firing.
- Skipping unused vacation or Bono 14.
- Using one atypical paycheck instead of ordinary average pay.
FAQ
Under the usual educational model, no. You still review proportional aguinaldo, Bono 14, unused vacation, and unpaid wages. Art. 82 severance is tied to unjustified dismissal or proven constructive dismissal.
The common reference is one month of salary per year worked, pro-rated (salary × days÷365). Exact pay depends on ordinary salary and your start/end dates.
That may raise constructive-dismissal issues, but facts matter. Do not rush a signature; request a breakdown and labor guidance. This article is not a case assessment.
No. Some settlements add notice compensation by tenure. These cases omit notice on purpose so the severance gap stays visible.
Only if the parties write it into the settlement — full, partial, or zero.
Related guides and tools
Run your exit numbers
These figures are educational estimates from a simplified Labor Code model and Calcufast’s public calculator. Not legal advice and not an official settlement. Just cause, commissions, embargos, CBA rules, or constructive dismissal can change outcomes. Confirm with payroll, the Ministry of Labor / labor inspectorate, or a qualified professional. Reviewed: 1 August 2026.