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Costa Rica is approaching a final legislative vote on the proposed 4×3 work schedule, a measure that has been under debate for over two decades. The initiative, which recently concluded the discussion of thousands of motions in the Plenary, seeks to allow employees in specific productive sectors to work four 12-hour days in exchange for three consecutive days of rest.
The proposal represents a compressed work schedule rather than a reduction in total weekly hours. This distinguishes it from the four-day, 32-hour work week models currently being explored in some European nations, which aim to maintain productivity through shorter overall hours.
Proponents of the 4×3 model argue that the change is necessary to modernize labor relations and improve the country’s competitiveness in attracting foreign investment. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between adapting labor laws to modern life and maintaining the protections established by Costa Rica’s labor code.
International comparisons have been drawn to Belgium, which implemented a similar compressed work schedule in February 2022. At the time, then-Minister of Economy and Labor Pierre-Yves Dermagne stated that the goal was to provide workers and companies with more flexibility to organize work time, noting that labor legislation must adapt to the modern lives of citizens.
The Czech Republic is also cited as a relevant point of comparison, as both the Czech and Costa Rican economies function as hubs for foreign direct investment in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, technology, and global service centers.
Article source: larepublica.net | Image credit: Reuters Institute
