Q COSTA RICA — As Costa Rican businesses gear up for Black Friday, Christmas and New Year, many bring on temporary staff to handle more customers and sales. But a short-term contract does not mean fewer workplace rights, labor lawyer María Marta Salazar explained.
Costa Rica’s Código de Trabajo (Labor Code) allows fixed-term contracts when the work itself justifies them, such as a seasonal increase in commercial activity. If a valid contract ends on its agreed date, the employer must pay proportional vacation and aguinaldo (Christmas bonus).
According to Salazar, that ordinary end-of-contract situation does not require payment of notice or severance.
That distinction matters: a seasonal contract may end without the same payments owed in some other circumstances, but it does not exempt the employer from basic obligations.
Workers must receive at least the minimum wage for their occupation, be enrolled in the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) from their first day, and have coverage under the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) workplace-risk policy.
Salazar stressed that a seasonal worker cannot lawfully be offered lower pay simply because the job is temporary.
Extra hours also remain subject to the law. Employers cannot use the holiday sales rush as a reason to exceed legal working-hour limits without compensation. Overtime must be paid at time and a half—an additional 50% over the ordinary hourly rate.
With respect to the two mandatory paid holidays: December 25 and January 1. Employees who work on those dates are entitled to double pay under the rules applicable to their wage arrangement.
Proportional benefits and early termination
Vacation accrues even during a short contract. As a rule of thumb cited by Salazar, someone employed for three months earns about three days of vacation. Whether those days are taken before the contract ends can be coordinated with the employer, subject to the applicable rules.
Workers are also entitled to attend medical appointments, though the time away is not necessarily paid. Salazar advised employees to provide the required documentation and return to work when the appointment’s duration allows.
A contract ending on its agreed date is different from one cut short. If either party ends a fixed-term contract early without just cause, Article 31 of the Labor Code may allow claims for demonstrable damages. If the employer terminates it, additional compensation may also be due under that provision. Salazar recommended putting the arrangement in writing, including the salary, working conditions, and start and end dates. If the employer keeps the worker on after the season, the change to an indefinite-term relationship should also be documented.
FYI: Black Friday 2026 in Costa Rica falls on Friday, November 27, 2026, followed by Cyber Monday on November 30, though most retailers stretch the event into a full-month “Black November” starting as early as October.
Analysis
The central point is straightforward: seasonal describes the duration of the job, not a lower tier of worker protection.
The distinction between a contract that expires as agreed and one ended early is especially important. A worker may not be owed notice or severance simply because a valid fixed-term contract reaches its scheduled end, but an early termination can trigger a separate question of liability.
For employees taking short-term holiday jobs—often their first—the practical protections are the ones most easily overlooked in a busy store or restaurant: a written agreement, accurate records of hours, proof of CCSS enrollment and workplace-risk coverage, and clear accounting for overtime and holiday work. T
Based on Salazar’s explanation of the rules, workers facing a specific dispute should verify how the law applies to their contract and circumstances.
This can be done directly on the Ministry of Labor’s website, where employees can access labor advice (Asesoría Laboral) and calculate severance pay, bonuses, and other payments.