Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Workplace harassment, discrimination and occupational safety in Costa Rica: Ley 7476 policies, the three month procedure and health committees

Workplace harassment, discrimination and occupational safety in Costa Rica: Ley 7476 policies, the three month procedure and health committees

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Stable

Every Costa Rican employer must have a written policy and an internal procedure against sexual harassment under Ley 7476, finish investigations within three months and report complaints to the labour inspectorate. A proven harasser can be dismissed without employer liability and the victim can sue the harasser or the employer for moral damages. The Código de Trabajo bans discrimination on a broad list of grounds and requires health and safety committees in workplaces with ten or more workers and a safety office where more than fifty work permanently.

USD figures use the Banco Central de Costa Rica reference selling rate of ₡454.82 per US dollar published for 29 October 2026 (indicator 318 on bccr.fi.cr), rounded to the cent. Fines use the 2026 salario base of ₡462,200 (Circular 246-2025 of the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, under Ley 7337 art. 2).

Key facts

Maximum length of internal sexual harassment procedure	3 monthsLey 7476 art. 5(2), as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Workers that require an occupational health committee	10 workersCódigo de Trabajo art. 288, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Permanent workers above which a health and safety office is required	50 workersCódigo de Trabajo art. 300, as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. Every employer must maintain respectful working conditions through an internal policy that prevents and sanctions sexual harassment, set out in internal rules or collective agreements: communicating the policy in writing and orally, an internal complaint procedure that is confidential and may not exceed three months from the complaint, staff with prevention experience, and a register of final sanctions kept for ten years.Ley 7476, Ley contra el Hostigamiento o Acoso Sexual en el Empleo y la Docencia, as reformed by Ley 9969, art. 5, 2021-04-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. In the private sector, the person who receives a harassment complaint must report it to the Dirección Nacional e Inspección de Trabajo, which monitors compliance with art. 5.Ley 7476, art. 8, 1995-02-03 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. During the investigation the employer may order interim measures: no contact, no interference with work tools, relocation, swap of post, or exceptionally temporary suspension with pay.Ley 7476, art. 24, 2010-04-28 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. A person proven to have harassed may be dismissed without employer liability, and a victim can sue the harasser or the employer in the labour courts and recover moral damages.Ley 7476, art. 28, art. 36 and art. 37, 2010-04-28 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. Discrimination at work is prohibited on grounds of age, ethnicity, sex, religion, race, sexual orientation, marital status, political opinion, national origin, social origin, health, disability, union membership, reporting corruption, economic status or any similar ground.Ley 2, Código de Trabajo, as reformed by Ley 10437, art. 404, 2024-01-29 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Workplaces with ten or more workers must set up occupational health committees with equal employer and worker members, working within working hours; companies with more than fifty permanent workers must keep an occupational health office or department.Ley 2, Código de Trabajo, as reformed by Ley 6727, art. 288 and art. 300, 1982-03-09 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. Employers must adopt the preventive measures ordered by the competent authorities in occupational health, and investigate and report every occupational risk to the INS within eight business days.Ley 2, Código de Trabajo, as reformed by Ley 6727, art. 214, 1982-03-09 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Worked example

A complaint filed on 1 March must be resolved internally by 1 June; the employer notifies the labour inspectorate on receipt and may relocate the accused worker meanwhile.

Step by step

Adopt a written harassment policy and complaint procedure and communicate it in writing and orally.
Name trained staff to receive complaints and keep the sanctions register.
Report each complaint to the labour inspectorate.
Form the health committee from ten workers and the health office above fifty.

Common traps

A procedure that runs past three months can be challenged.
Missing the policy itself breaches art. 5 even if no complaint is ever filed.
Retaliation against a complainant or witness is discrimination under art. 404.

Sources

← Telework in Costa Rica: Ley 9738, the written telework addendum, employer paid equipment, digital disconnection and telework from abroadLabour claims, inspections and fines in Costa Rica: one year to sue, fines of 1 to 23 salarios base and conciliation under the Reforma Procesal Laboral →

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