Last November 12th came into force a new regulation modifying article 515 of the Costa Rican Labor Code, establishing an obligation for the employer to authorize an absence with the payment of salary, when workers must attend summons from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Costa Rica (MTSS).

To obtain the authorization, the worker must present the employer the MTSS summons and proof of attendance during the hours of the regular working day.

This change adds additional possibilities for mandatory paid leaves that the employer must grant to the workers, which already included permits for voting in government elections, appearing at Court, as well as obtaining pregnancy and breastfeeding certificates from the Costa Rican Social Security Agency (CCSS).

As a result, it is advisable to update the company’s internal policies, to include this new employer obligation and to define the procedures that employees will be required to follow, to coordinate their absences in advance and to duly report their attendance to these proceedings.

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