Costa Rica has taken a significant step in workplace law. Through Ley No. 10749, the country ratified ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. According to Article 14 of the Convention, it becomes legally binding twelve months after its registration with the ILO — which puts the effective date at October 2026. That means this Convention is in force now. Every business operating in Costa Rica, regardless of size or sector, needs to understand what this changes.
Convention 190 is the first international labor treaty to explicitly address violence and harassment in the workplace, including sexual harassment, psychological harassment, and gender-based violence. It covers not just what happens inside an office or job site, but also situations connected to work — commutes, work-related communications, and employer-sponsored events. The Convention requires ratifying countries to adopt laws, policies, and enforcement mechanisms that protect workers from these forms of harm. Costa Rica's ratification means those obligations now fall directly on employers here.
If you run a business or employ people in Costa Rica, this is not a passive development. The Convention, now incorporated into Costa Rican law through Ley No. 10749, requires employers to take active steps: Having clear internal policies against harassment, providing channels for complaints, and ensuring those complaints are handled without retaliation against the person who raised them. Businesses that already had harassment policies in place may need to review whether those policies are broad enough to meet the Convention's scope, which extends beyond the physical workplace.
The twelve-month countdown under Article 14 runs from ILO registration, not from the date Ley No. 10749 was published in La Gaceta — so if you have been waiting to act, the clock has already run out.
Workers in Costa Rica now have an additional layer of legal protection backed by an international instrument. If you have experienced harassment at work and felt that existing mechanisms were insufficient, Convention 190 strengthens the framework around your rights. It also recognizes that harassment does not only happen between a boss and an employee — it can come from colleagues, clients, or third parties connected to the work environment. This broader definition matters when deciding how to document and report an incident.
We want to be straightforward: While the Convention is now in force, some details around implementation and enforcement in Costa Rica are still developing. Specifically, we are tracking whether secondary regulations or updated labor authority guidelines will be issued to clarify how employers are expected to demonstrate compliance. We recommend not waiting for those to appear before reviewing your internal policies. The legal obligation exists now, and labor inspectors and courts can be expected to apply it.
Whether you are an employer who needs to update your workplace policies, or an employee who has experienced harassment and wants to understand your options, our team can help you navigate this. This area of law applies equally to Costa Rican nationals and foreign residents working or doing business here. If you have questions about what Convention 190 requires in practice, get in touch with us directly.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For guidance on your specific situation, contact an attorney here.