No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaCosta Rica Bill Proposes 3 Weeks of Paid Vacation for Workers

Costa Rica Bill Proposes 3 Weeks of Paid Vacation for Workers

The Frente Amplio party has introduced a bill to increase workers’ vacation days. Currently, in Costa Rica, the Labor Code grants two weeks of vacation for every fifty weeks of continuous work with the same employer. The bill, titled the “Law for the Increase of Paid Vacation Days per Year”, proposes increasing vacation days to three weeks.

On October 2, the bill was shelved after deputies Johanna Obando of the Partido Liberal Progresista (PLP), Daniel Vargas, Jorge Antonio Rojas, and David Segura of the Partido Progreso Social Democrático (the ruling party) and Nueva República voted against it in the Legal Affairs Committee. In response to the rejection of the proposal in committee, the Frente Amplio faction submitted a revised version under file No. 24,610, which incorporates the feedback received on the previous draft.

“We have included the observations made on the first draft to move it forward in the Plenary. Granting an additional week of vacation would align our legislation with that of many countries that have fewer economic resources than Costa Rica. Even our neighbors, Panama and Nicaragua, offer more vacation days,” said one legislator.

The Costa Rican Chamber of Industries expressed its opposition to the proposal, emphasizing the need to consider factors that affect a country’s competitiveness and impact both employers and workers. “We cannot overlook the fact that Costa Rica’s business landscape is largely composed of micro and small companies.

According to data from CCSS Health Insurance, as of December 2023, 94.6% of private sector companies have fewer than 30 employees. A 50% increase in the annual vacation period would place a heavy financial burden on SMEs,” the Chamber stated.

The Chamber also noted that Costa Rica’s social security system is among the most expensive in the OECD, and approving this law would raise costs and create competitiveness challenges, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

Additionally, the Frente Amplio party proposed reducing the workweek to 40 hours. As confirmed by the legislative faction, the goal is to “modernize working hours to improve people’s quality of life, while also boosting productivity for companies.”

Trending Now

Costa Rica Joins U.S. Global Entry, Easing Travel for Tourists

Costa Rica took a big step forward, by officially joining the U.S. Global Entry program, a move set to make travel smoother for Costa...

Panama Regains Control of Bocas del Toro After Violent Protests

Panama’s government has regained control of Bocas del Toro province after months of violent anti-government protests sparked by pension reforms, officials announced. The unrest,...

El Salvador Slams Paris Fashion Show Inspired by Cecot Mega-Prison Inmates

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, joked on Saturday that he could send inmates from his mega-prison to France, after they were represented...

Retired Nicaraguan Army Captain Sentenced to 50 Years for Treason

A retired military officer was sentenced to 50 years in prison in Nicaragua for the crime of "treason against the homeland," his family denounced...

Costa Rica’s Cutris Mining Bill Threatens Massive Environmental Damage

Costa Rica’s government is pushing a controversial bill that could open the entire Cutris district in San Carlos—848 square kilometers—to open-pit gold mining. The...

Costa Rica’s President Chaves Accused of Illicit Campaign Financing

On Monday, Costa Rica’s Prosecutor’s Office formally accused President Rodrigo Chaves along with six high-ranking officials and pro-government legislators of allegedly engaging in illicit...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica