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

Why Costa Rica’s Northern Huetar Region Struggles Despite Its Riches

Costa Rica’s Northern Huetar Region, a sprawling area of 9,790 square kilometers, is home to over 437,000 people across districts like San Carlos, Upala,...

U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica Mandates Public Social Media for Student Visas

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica announced a new rule for anyone applying for F, M, or J nonimmigrant visas, which cover academic students,...

Costa Rica’s Taiwan Ties Stir “One China” Policy Tensions

Costa Rica is caught in a diplomatic tug-of-war with China after sending officials to Taiwan for training. The government confirmed that five members of...

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...

Nicaraguan Exiles Demand Protection After Costa Rica Assassination

More than 70 exiled Nicaraguans demanded international protection on Friday following the shooting death in Costa Rica of retired army officer Roberto Samcam, a...

El Salvador Extradites Lev Tahor Members to Israel, Guatemala Over Child Abuse Charges

El Salvador has extradited two members of the Lev Tahor sect—an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group under investigation for alleged child sexual abuse—to Israel and Guatemala,...
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