Employment
Protective Labour Code with constitutionally minimum standards
The Código de Trabajo (Decreto 1441) is expressly protective and its guarantees are minimum and irrenunciable, meaning a worker cannot validly waive them. Wages are set annually by sector through the Comisión Nacional del Salario.
Key rules
- The ordinary week is 44 hours day work or 36 hours night work, with 48-hour pay for a 44-hour week.
- Aguinaldo (one month) is paid in December and bono 14 (one month) in July; both are statutory.
- Dismissal without justa causa requires indemnización of one month per year of service, plus proportional aguinaldo, bono 14 and holiday.
- Annual leave is 15 working days after one year of continuous service.
- Reinstatement is available where dismissal targeted union organising, and unions require 20 workers to form.
Governing law
- Código de Trabajo (Decreto 1441)Contracts, hours, dismissal and unions.
- Constitución Política (Arts 101-106)Minimum and irrenunciable labour rights.
In practice
Claims go to Juzgados de Trabajo y Previsión Social and are oral. IGSS social-security registration is mandatory from the first employee. Employers commonly under-register wages, which reduces IGSS entitlements and is a frequent source of dispute.