1/12 What are the #SocialProtection instruments that #CostaRica could use or adapt to quickly mitigate the impact of the #COVID19 crisis for both formal and informal workers, besides the horizontal expansion of the severance payment for the former? Check: bit.ly/3brMr68 
2/12 #CostaRica has no regular unemployment benefit as it did not accept Part IV of the @ILO convention 102 bit.ly/3cwfHJ1. @MTSS_CR did not consider using the #COVID19 crisis to move in this direction as reported in this article: bit.ly/2RTBt1q.
@ilo @MTSS_CR 3/12 On 7 April, @presidenciacr announced the #BonoProteger: a temporary emergency support to workers affected by the #COVID19 crisis. It benefits informal & formal workers who have been dismissed, suspended or are hired on reduced hours. Press release: bit.ly/2Kl4Buj
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 4/12 The recitals of Decree 42305 of 16 April establishing the #BonoProteger acknowledge the lack of instruments in the country’s labour legal framework to deal with the challenges posed by the #COVID19 crisis. Read the Decree: bit.ly/3bq5wWh. Thus…
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 5/12 …the emergency benefit is anchored on the arts. 24-29 of Decree 29044 of 30 Oct 2000 that allows the government to pay a temporary benefit to workers who face hardship in the context of a State of Emergency (e.g. #COVID19 crisis). Read the Decree: bit.ly/2KlFN5j.
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 6/12 The unemployed, workers with suspended labour contracts or with more than 50% reduction in working hours or pay, & informal workers are eligible for a 125k colones (USD 223) benefit, while workers with a reduction in pay of less than 50% can receive 62.5k colones (USD 112).
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 7/12 Applicants are to upload their application (see form bit.ly/34Qwzrj) with the required documents to certify their eligibility in the online platform proteger.go.cr. The benefit will be paid for 3 months and can be extended for further 3.
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 8/12 Applicants without a bank account can open one within the online platform, as benefits will be paid in bank accounts only. #CostaRica has a relative high rate of access to bank accounts which has increased over the past years. See more details: bit.ly/2Kk5Utr
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 9/12 Ineligible groups for the #BonoProteger include: public servants, full-time workers with full pay, pensioners in contributive and non-contributive regimes, and beneficiaries of social transfers receiving up to 50k colones (USD 90) per month.
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 10/12 The benefit will be funded from: budget reprogramming; differences between national and international oil prices; a loan from the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF); and savings from the canceling of public servants’ annual wage progression. bit.ly/34TtTsX
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 11/12 According to @presidenciacr almost 400k people, 27% of the labour force, had applied by 17 April. First payments were due on Monday, 20 April bit.ly/2KiVt9l
@ilo @MTSS_CR @presidenciacr 12/12 For more details on #CostaRica #SPresponses to #COVID19 read our first thread on the subject: bit.ly/2VtuE96
