Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Costa Rica (Ratification: 1960)

Articles 1–3 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee notes with interest the adoption of Decree No. 41776-MTSS-MEP-MIDEPLAN-MDHIS-MCM-MCSP of 2019 establishing the National Employment System (SNE). Section 1 of the Decree provides that the objective of the SNE is to define the structure, logic and governance for employment services, so that these interlink to respond both to the dynamics of the labour market and to the needs of jobseekers or persons already in employment in order to retain their work or improve their conditions of work, giving priority to those in conditions of vulnerability. The SNE replaces the former National System of Employment Intermediation, Guidance and Information (SIOIE) and implements a new management model whereby public employment agencies provide registration, guidance, training, job intermediation and placement services, and also services for maintaining employment. The new model also provides for the establishment of a National Employment Council, a Technical Secretariat and a National Employment Agency (ANE). “Employment units” are also created as “single windows” to cater for individuals and enterprises, coordinated by the ANE and proposing SNE services via an in-person or virtual format or by phone (section 16). In this regard, the Government indicates that four agreements have been signed with municipalities for the implementation of the “employment unit network”. The Government also reports the establishment of the ANE.CR online platform, which facilitates contact between jobseekers and enterprises offering vacancies, as well as links between persons who wish to improve their employability and the training courses for achieving that. According to information available on the ANE.CR platform, as at 28 July 2022, the platform had 3,523 registered enterprises, 7,773 available vacancies and 22,140 registered jobseekers. Furthermore, the Government indicates that the National Employment Directorate (DNE) has concluded a total of 74 cooperation agreements with municipalities throughout the country to facilitate registration, intermediation and technical training services through municipal employment offices. Under these agreements, institutions have access to the DNE platform, which enables access, from the municipalities, to the various programmes implemented by the DNE, thereby benefiting users at the local level. Lastly, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), in which it refers to the approval by the DNE of Circulars DNE-CIR-14-2019 and DNE-CIR-9-2019 establishing guidelines for municipal employment services and for the functions and services provided by public employment service officials, with gender mainstreaming and equality of treatment for individuals. The Committee requests the Government to continue sending detailed, up-to-date information on the impact of the efforts made to ensure the efficient operation of a free public employment service comprising a network of employment offices to meet the needs of enterprises and workers throughout the country, especially those in situations of vulnerability. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing up-to-date statistical information, disaggregated by age and sex, on applications for employment received by the National Employment System (SNE), vacancies notified and job placements effected by the SNE.The Committee also requests the Government to continue sending information on the number of existing public employment offices and the number of “employment units” established. The Committee also requests the Government to provide detailed, up-to-date information on the impact of the proposed measures, in collaboration with the social partners, in order to encourage maximum use of the employment service.