Starting from the 2027 fiscal year, Alibaba will integrate the traditional 13th-month salary into the year-end bonus, renaming it the "Together Forward Award." The payment timing for this component will be aligned with the year-end bonus distribution, which will now consist of two separate parts: the "Together Forward Award" and the "Performance Award." Consequently, the payout for what was previously the 13th-month salary will shift from being issued around the Chinese New Year to being combined with the year-end bonus, typically disbursed in April or May. This adjustment applies to Alibaba's regular employees based in mainland China, while policies for employees in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas locations will follow local laws and regulations or company-specific guidelines. The internal communication also noted that, given the original 13th-month salary was based on the calendar year and the year-end bonus follows the fiscal year, the first "Together Forward Award" will be paid out during the 2027 year-end bonus period. Employees who remain continuously employed from January 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, will be eligible to receive a "Together Forward Award" equivalent to 1.25 months' salary.
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