Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Costa Rica (Ratification: 1966)

The Committee notes the observations of the Rerum Novarum Workers’ Confederation (CTRN), received on 31 August 2017. It also notes the observations of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD), received on 1 September and 23 September 2017, respectively. The Committee further notes the Government’s replies to the observations of the CCTD, which are included in its report. The Committee requests the Government to send its comments on the observations of the CTRN and the IOE.

Article 1 of the Convention. Coordination of education and vocational training policy with employment opportunities. In its previous comments, the Committee asked the Government to send updated information on the activities carried out by the National Training Institute (INA) so that it could evaluate the manner in which the beneficiaries of INA activities had found lasting employment. It also asked the Government to provide information on the impact of measures taken to promote dual education. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that such information is not currently available. It also notes the setting up of the “National system of employment placement, guidance and information (SIOIE)” and the related online platform, aimed at linking the placement services of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the INA, the technical colleges of the Ministry of Public Education and the Municipal Employment Service. The Committee requests the Government to provide statistical information, disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of the measures taken or contemplated for coordinating education and vocational training policy with employment opportunities. It also once again requests the Government to send information on the impact of the measures taken to promote dual education.

Article 2. Labour market trends. The Committee notes that, according to the ongoing unemployment survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), there were 2,060,000 persons in employment in the first quarter of 2017, of whom 15 per cent (309,000 persons) were in the 15–24 age group and 25.6 per cent were living in rural areas (528,000 persons). With regard to unemployment rates, the national rate was 9.1 per cent whereas the rate of informality stood at 43.2 per cent. In this respect, the Committee notes that, of the 207,000 unemployed persons, 38.64 per cent were in the 15–24 age group (80,000 young persons) and 26.1 per cent were living in rural areas (54,000 young persons). The Committee requests the Government to continue providing up-to-date statistical information, disaggregated by sex and age, on trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment.

Youth employment. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, through the implementation of the Empléate youth employment programme, young persons have been trained in occupations for which there is demand in the labour market. It also indicates that further to the evaluation of results of the programme, an action plan has been adopted following the recommendations of the Ministry of National Planning concerning the necessary measures for improving the employability of young persons in the 17–24 age group, and up to 35 years of age in the case of persons with disabilities living in poverty or from socially vulnerable groups. The Committee also notes the implementation of a series of activities aimed at catering comprehensively for the beneficiaries of the programme, such as: (i) the creation of a link with the Mi primer empleo (my first job) programme, which promotes the creation of new job opportunities for women, young persons and persons with disabilities through financial incentives for enterprises which hire such workers; (ii) an increase in the number of agreements concluded with enterprises seeking workers whose occupational profile is compatible with the Empléate programme training; and (iii) the collection of information on labour markets trends and needs. In addition, the Committee notes the new model for the administration of the Empléate programme using IT tools aimed at enabling beneficiaries to gain better knowledge of the programme in order to help them find and remain in employment. The Committee also notes the implementation of the “Social and labour strategy” (ELS), whose objective is to reduce poverty through the creation of formal employment in 76 priority districts. Lastly, the Committee notes that the Government, in reply to the observations of the CCTD, emphasizes that one of the main objectives of its employment policy is to reduce the school dropout rate. In this respect, the Government indicates that in 2016 the lowest school dropout rate in the past ten years was recorded and that a tripartite dialogue round table has now been set up for discussing the technical education model that the country needs. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken or contemplated to promote youth employment, including the Empléate programme and measures to promote employment for socially vulnerable young persons. The Committee also requests the Government to provide statistical information, disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of such measures. Lastly, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results achieved in the context of the tripartite dialogue round table regarding the technical education model in Costa Rica.

Women’s employment. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the measures applied for the gender mainstreaming of employment placement and guidance services in the municipalities. In this respect, the Government indicates that employment managers were trained in various municipalities under “Action plan No. 2 (2008–12)” of the “Gender equality and equity policy”. In addition, a proposal regarding job placements based on gender equality and a draft strategy for communication with the business sector have been drawn up, which are awaiting approval and implementation by the competent authorities. The Committee also notes the adoption of a series of programmes aimed at finding employment for women heads of household, such as Bienestar familiar (family welfare), Avancemos (let’s move forward), Manos a la obra (getting down to work) and Ideas productivas (productive ideas), the latter being aimed at women entrepreneurs. The Government also refers to the implementation of the “Child development and care network” and the “Senior citizen local care network”, whose respective objectives are to facilitate entry into the labour market for women with children under 7 years of age and those who take care of older persons. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the impact of the measures taken for the gender mainstreaming of employment placement and guidance services in the municipalities. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing information on measures taken or planned to promote women’s employment and their impact.

Persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Empléate programme includes the Empléate inclusivo component aimed at persons with disabilities who are between 17 and 35 years of age. The Government reports that 140 persons with disabilities have benefited from the aforementioned component. Furthermore, a “Plan for the labour integration of persons with disabilities” has been incorporated into the ENEDP, which was developed in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the ILO. The aforementioned plan aims to raise awareness in enterprises with regard to facilitating the integration of persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed, up-to-date information on the impact of employment measures, including reasonable adjustment measures, that have been adopted to help persons with disabilities to find sustainable employment in the regular employment market. The Committee also requests the Government to send information on the measures taken to promote the employment of persons with disabilities who are over 35 years of age.

Microenterprises and cooperatives. Informal economy. The Government indicates that one of the goals of the “National development plan 2014–18” is to give comprehensive assistance to ten entrepreneurial ventures per year. The Government indicates that, according to data supplied by the Department for the Promotion of Cooperatives at the National Institute for Cooperative Development (INFOCOOP), the abovementioned plan gave rise to 1,240 direct jobs and 114 indirect jobs from 2014 to 2016. Moreover, financial and business development services are supplied through the support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Government also reports the implementation of measures to promote the formalization of such enterprises, including the “Mobile business consultation programme”, which provides capacity and support for enterprises with regard to the formalization and registration of SMEs at the Ministry of Economic, Industrial and Commercial Affairs, which enables incentives such as tax breaks for legally registered companies, access to funds, participation in business symposia and preferential treatment in the award of contracts by the public administration. Furthermore, the Committee notes that various programmes are implemented through the SME Support Department (DIGEPYME), catering for women entrepreneurs, improvements in the craft work sector, public procurement and micro-franchise development. The Government indicates that at the end of 2016 the register of microenterprises and SMEs had recorded some 6,300 active enterprises, of which nearly 68 per cent were microenterprises, in addition to 21 registered cooperatives. Lastly, the Committee notes that the “integrated business development centres” provide support for entrepreneurs and microenterprises and SMEs with regard to start-up and expansion, and such centres enabled the creation of 325 temporary jobs and 112 new jobs in 2016. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information, including statistics disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of the policies adopted by the Government for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and cooperatives with regard to job creation. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the results of the abovementioned programmes in relation to reducing the rate of informality.

Export processing zones. The Government refers to the report of the Director-General of the Costa Rican Coalition for Development Initiatives, which highlights the fact that the level of direct employment created by enterprises in export processing zones (EPZs) grew by 5 per cent in 2015, reaching the total of 82,086 formal direct jobs, with the services sector generating the most employment. The Committee also notes that women account for 40 per cent of direct employment generated by EPZ enterprises in the last five years, that the total wage bill for direct jobs increased by 13 per cent in 2015 by comparison with 2014 and that the average wage per worker paid in the EPZs rose by 7 per cent, which corresponds to almost double the average national wage in Costa Rica. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing up-to-date information on the contribution of export processing zones to the creation of lasting and quality employment.