Decree to Guarantee Jobs To Disabled Costa Ricans

In honor of the International Day of Disabled Persons today, President Oscar Arias signed a decree to guarantee these Costa Ricans access to jobs.

The Decree of Inclusion and Labor Protection mandates that 5% of public jobs under the Executive Branch be reserved for people with disabilities. It also sets the goal of eventually reserving 2% of government jobs for disabled people, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.

About 400,000 of Costa Rica’s 4.5 million inhabitants have some kind of disability, Arias said, adding that only 45 countries have legislation in place to protect the disabled from discrimination.

In Costa Rica, the Law of Equal Opportunities is in place to protect the disabled.