Costa Rica will have 12 holidays in 2022, three of them are non-compulsory payment, two are moved to Monday and a new holiday is created.

As part of the efforts to promote the reactivation of the tourism sector, which was affected by the pandemic, Law No. 9875 was enacted. This law moved public holidays to Mondays during the years 2020 to 2024, with the aim of extending weekends and lengthening vacation periods for people visiting tourist centers.

Another important matter is the creation of a new holiday through Law No. 9526, which declares August 31 of each year as the Day of the Black Person and Afro-Costa Rican Culture. The same law establishes that during 2021, 2022, and 2023, this holiday would be moved to the following Sunday. For example, in 2022 it was moved to Sunday, September 4.

Regarding non-mandatory paid holidays, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security: "Companies with weekly payrolls (in non-commercial activities), meaning those that only recognize the actual time worked during the week, must pay for the days worked without including payment for the holiday. If the employee works on that day, a regular day’s wage must be paid. Under this weekly payroll scheme, if overtime is worked on this holiday, it must be paid at time and a half, which means regular overtime pay. Workplaces that pay on a monthly or bi-weekly basis, and those engaged in commercial activities that pay weekly, must recognize the salary for all the days of the month, including weekly rest days or holidays. In these cases, they must pay the full salary of the week, the fortnight, or the month, including the non-mandatory paid holiday. If employees work on that holiday, an additional day’s wage must be added to complete double pay. If overtime is worked on the holiday, it must be paid at double time and a half, which means triple pay."

Information extracted and summarized from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) website.