Category: Labor Law

Termination for Cause in Costa Rica: practical legal guide for employers, HR, and foreign companies A practical employer-focused guide to termination for cause in Costa Rica, also known as dismissal without employer liability. Learn what Article 81 of the Costa Rica Labor Code allows, what HR must prove, what payments still apply, how to draft […]

Home › Blog › Costa Rica Minimum Wages 2026 Costa Rica Minimum Wages 2026: full official list, search tool, abbreviations, and approved increases Quick take (2026 update): Costa Rica’s National Wages Council (CNS) approved on October 27 a general increase of +1.63% for private-sector minimum wages, effective January 1, 2026. Additional differentiated adjustments were also […]

Home › Blog › Costa Rica Public Holidays 2026 Costa Rica Public Holidays 2026: Calendar & Payroll Rules (HR Guide) Quick take: Costa Rica distinguishes mandatory-pay holidays (paid even if not worked; if worked they’re paid double) and non-mandatory-pay holidays (payment depends on pay modality and whether they are worked). Below you’ll find the 2026 […]

Christmas Bonus (Aguinaldo) in Costa Rica: Employer & Employee Legal Guide (Updated 2025) Quick take: In Costa Rica, the aguinaldo is a mandatory year-end payment equal to the average monthly earnings earned from Dec 1 to Nov 30 (sum of ordinary + salary-type extraordinary pay ÷ 12). It must be paid no later than Dec […]

Justified Dismissal for Employee Lateness in Costa Rica Can Lateness Lead to Justified Dismissal? In Costa Rica, under Article 81 of the Labor Code, repeated and unjustified lateness can be considered “gross misconduct” and may legally justify dismissal without severance or notice. A single late arrival does not qualify, but multiple documented infractions, combined with […]