PEO Indonesia

World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking

• DB Rank – 73
• DB Score – 69.6

Rankings on Doing Business topics – Indonesia

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Global PEO in Indonesia

Indonesia stands as a promising destination for Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services, offering businesses a gateway to navigate its dynamic workforce landscape. As a country with a rapidly growing economy and a diverse range of industries, Indonesia presents both opportunities and complexities for companies seeking expansion. Partnering with a PEO in Indonesia can prove invaluable, as it facilitates seamless entry into the local market by managing intricate HR tasks. From navigating labor regulations and compliance to handling payroll and benefits administration, a PEO can alleviate the challenges of operating in a foreign business environment. With its deep understanding of Indonesia’s employment landscape, a PEO can empower businesses to focus on their core objectives, ensuring smoother market entry and sustained growth in this vibrant Southeast Asian nation.

What Is a PEO?

A PEO, or Professional Employer Organization, is a company that provides a range of HR and payroll services to small and medium-sized businesses. These services can include employee benefits, payroll, compliance with labor laws, and recruiting and training.

PEOs work by entering into a co-employment agreement with the businesses they serve. In this arrangement, the PEO becomes the employer of record for the business’s employees, taking on responsibilities such as payroll, tax withholding, and employee benefits. The business, however, retains control over its day-to-day operations and the supervision of its employees.

PEOs can help businesses streamline their HR and payroll processes, reduce costs, and free up time and resources to focus on their core business activities. They can also provide access to a range of benefits and resources that small businesses may not be able to afford or manage on their own.

PEOs are also understood as employer of record / EOR at times.

Indonesia – Country Overview

Indonesia is a newly industrialized country and the 7th largest economy in the world in terms of GDP (PPP). The services sector contributes nearly 44% to the GDP, followed by the manufacturing sector which contributes around 43%, while agriculture contributes around 13%. As a driving force in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and as a member of the G20, Indonesia plays a crucial role at the multilateral level. The government’s recent reforms aimed at weeding out corruption and improving public finance management have bolstered Indonesia’s business environment.

Capital City

Jakarta

Currency

 Indonesian Rupiah

Principal Language

Indonesian

Government

Presidential Representative Democratic Republic

Major Cities

Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Semarang

Employment Contracts in Indonesia

It is a common practice to have written employment contracts in Indonesia. A contract must contain the following details:

• Employer’s name, address, and type of business
• Occupation and type of work
• Worker’s name, sex, age, and home address
• Amount of wages and method of payment
• Duty stations or worksites
• Employment commencement date and duration of the contract
• Rights and obligations of the worker and the employer
• Signatures of both the parties
• Place and date of the work agreement

Verbal work contracts are permitted for permanent work provided that the employer prepares an appointment letter that contains:

• Worker’s name and address
• Type of work
• Employment commencement date
• Amount of wages

Working Hours in Indonesia

The regular work schedule comprises 40 hours in a week. The daily work schedule is limited to 7 hours a day and 6 days a week or 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. Employees are entitled to a 30-minute rest period after working for 4 hours, 1 day of rest for a 6-day workweek, and 2 days of rest for a 5-day workweek.

Overtime

Work done beyond the following hours is considered overtime:

• 40 hours in a week, or
• 8 hours per day in a 5-day workweek, or
• 7 hours in a day in a 6-day workweek

Employers are required to obtain workers’ consent for overtime. Overtime should not exceed 3 hours a day or 14 hours a week. If the overtime exceeds 3 hours a day, employers are required to provide food and drinks to employees containing at least 1,400 calories. Overtime should be paid at a rate of 1.5 times the regular hourly pay for the 1st hour and twice the regular rate for any subsequent hours.

Employee Leave in Indonesia

Holidays

The following holidays are observed in Indonesia:

• Jan. 1: New Year’s Day
• Chinese New Year
• Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
• Hindu New Year
• Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad
• Good Friday
• Vesak Day
• Ascension
• International Labor Day
• Pancasila Day
• Aug. 17: Independence Day
• Idul Fitri (5 days)
• Idul Adha
• Islamic New Year
• Dec. 25: Christmas Day
• Dec. 26

Employees who work on a holiday are paid twice the regular wage. Holidays that fall on a weekend are not carried over to another date.

Annual Leave

Employees are entitled to 12 days’ annual leave after 12 months of continuous employment with an employer out of which 6 days must be taken consecutively. In some organizations, employees who have been working with an employer for 6 continuous years receive 1 month of paid leave a year for the next 2 years.

Sick Leave

Employers are required to provide compensation at the following rates to employees who are sick provided they submit a medical certificate:

• 100% of wages – First 4 months
• 75% of wages – Next 4 months
• 50% of wages – Next 4 months
• 25% of wages – Subsequent months

Employers can terminate employees after 12 months of absence due to illness.

Maternity Leave

Female employees are entitled to 1.5 months of maternity leave before the childbirth and 1.5 months’ leave after the birth. Employees who suffer a miscarriage can also take 1.5 months’ paid leave. The maternity leave can be extended if attested by a midwife or obstetrician.

Paternity Leave

Male employees are entitled to 2 days’ paternity leave following the childbirth or their wife’s miscarriage.

Menstruation Leave

Female employees are entitled to 2 days’ menstruation leave on the 1st and 2nd day of their cycle.

Religious Obligations

Muslim employees receive 3 months’ leave to undertake the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Other Leave

Workers are entitled to paid leave in the following circumstances:

• Wedding – 3 days
• Birth of child/paternity leave – 2 days
• Children’s wedding – 2 days
• Son’s circumcision – 2 days
• Child’s baptism – 2 days
• Wife’s miscarriage – 2 days
• Death of a spouse, child, child-in-law, parent or parent-in-law – 2 days
• Death of another member of a worker’s household – 1 day
• Trade union activities with the permission of the employer
• State obligations

Taxation

Employers must submit monthly tax payments to the Indonesian government. Foreign companies generally adopt the same guidelines as resident companies for Indonesia’s corporate tax rates. 

Indonesia has a progressive income tax structure based on how much an employee makes. It’ operates as follows: 

• 5% tax on 50M IDR or less (50M is roughly $3,467)
• 15% tax on incomes between 50M and 250M IDR (250M is roughly $17,335)
• 25% tax on incomes between 250M and 500M IDR (500M is roughly $34,670)
• 30% tax on incomes over 500M IDR

Payroll taxes for employees include 2% tax for old age, 1% tax for the pension plan, and 1% tax for the health insurance plan. Employers can expect to pay 0.24 to 1.74% taxes for work accidents, 3.7% tax for old age, 0.3% tax for death, 2% tax for the pension plan, and 4% tax for the health insurance plan. 

Employee Benefits in Indonesia

Employees, including foreign workers, who have been working for a minimum 6 months in Indonesia are required to be a part of the social security program. Social security covers:

• Workers’ compensation
• Old age
• Death
• Pension

The retirement age is 57 since January 1, 2019, and will increase gradually by 1 year every 3 years until it reaches 65. Employees are entitled to retirement benefits after completing 15 years or 180 months of enrolment in the program and reaching the retirement age.

Contribution rates are in the chart below:

*depending on the industry

Survivors’ Benefits

Survivors of the deceased are entitled to survivors’ benefits if the deceased was:

• Under the age of 55 or was 55 when died
• Receiving a periodic pension

Medical Insurance

Employers need to provide medical insurance to employees, their spouses, and a maximum of 5 children. The policy premium is 5% of employees’ payout of which 4% is paid by the employer while 1% is paid by employees.

Insurance Benefits

The following social security programs are mandated under the BPJS (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial) Law:

• Health Care Security
• Work Accident Security
• Old-Age Security
• Pension Security
• Death Security

BPJS is a public agency that implements the social security program and consists of the BPJS for Health and the BPJS for Manpower.

BPJS of Health

BPJS of Health manages the healthcare security and covers all the employees including foreign workers who have worked in Indonesia for more than 6 months.

BPJS of Employment

BPJS of Employment manages Employment Security including old-age, work accident, and survivors’ benefits. All employees must register with BPJS by January 1, 2019.

Retirement Plan/Scheme Benefits

Old-age Security

BPJS of employment includes old-age security, a cash benefit which is paid to participants when they reach the retirement age, suffer a permanent total disability, leave Indonesia permanently, or pass away. When participants pass away, the benefits are paid to their survivors.

Pension Security

The pension benefit between IDR 300,000 and IDR 3,600,000 or between USD 22 and USD 270 is paid each month at the current exchange rates. The benefit is paid as long as the participants are alive.

Rules and Penalties Related to Retirement Plan/Scheme Investments

Employers who do not register their employees in the social security programs are subject to fines, warning letters, and do not qualify to receive certain services from the government, which are below:

• Approvals to employ foreign workers
• Issuance and renewal of business licenses, and
• Building permits.

Individuals who don’t register with BPJS cannot obtain land certificates, passports, vehicle ownership certificates, and driver’s license.

Indonesia’s National Social Security Council (Dewan Jaminan Sosial Nasional or “DJSN”) and Financial Services Authority (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan or “OJK”) monitor the BPJS for compliance.

State and Mandatory Benefits

The social security benefits for employees of private companies are provided at the age of 55, on permanent disability, or premature death. The benefits include contributions to the provident fund plus interest which is subject to a ceiling of 10% a year. If the benefits amount to less than IDR 3 million, they are paid as a lump sum. If the benefits are more than IDR 3 million, they are paid in installments over a 5-year period. In case an individual dies before the age of 55, an additional sum of IDR 10 million is paid, plus a dependent’s allowance equal to IDR 200,000 each month for 24 months.

Typical New Pension Plan

Plans managed by financial institutions (DPLKs) or company pension funds (DPPKs) provide defined contribution benefits. If the total benefits exceed IDR 100 million, a minimum of 80% must be paid as an annuity. Many employers cover medical expenses and provide lump-sum death and accident benefits equal to 1 to 3 years’ earnings.

Typical Costs

Employers contribute 3.7% of earnings while employees contribute 2% toward state retirement and death benefits. Married employees contribute 6% of earnings while single employees contribute 3% for medical benefits. Employers must also make contributions ranging from 0.24% to 1.74% of earnings toward occupational accident benefits. Employees usually contribute between 5% and 12% of earnings toward private defined contribution plans while employees contribute between 1% and 5%.

Workers’ Compensation

Employees who suffer an occupational injury receive compensation for costs of treatment, rehabilitation, transportation and payments to cover partial or total disability, temporary incapacity to work, and death benefits.