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I’m building a home in Atenas and I’ve met enough people here to get the impresssion that there are different ways to hire people for your home maintenance needs when you are away. I am interested in supporting the local economy; ie. improving the lives of Ticos for allowing me to purchase property and live in their beautiful country. I will not be here solely to “take advantage”. Can anyone tell me if there is a “standup” way to proceed with hiring folks for gardening, pool maintenance, etc.?
Everybody you meet will be an ‘expert’ in whichever area you have a need. They are trying to be helpful and many do not fully appreciate the responsibilities that will follow…
I would encourage you to have a written legal agreement with whomever you hire – preferably their corporation but if not, with the individual as a ‘consultant’ and NOT as an employee.
This agreement should specify exactly what you expect from them and what they in turn should expect from you. Have a ‘probation’ period so that if they prove themselves ‘unqualified’ after 60 days, they KNOW that you may replace them.
Hiring them as ’employees’ has an enormously different legal connotation and unless you really like paperwork, I would stay away from that …
It may sound overblown to you but even for this fairly small matter, I would recommend you speak with a Costa Rican attorney who understands the very complex Labor Laws here.
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comPlease let me attempt to answer your question. As Scott has said having employees is a problem in Costa Rica. You will have to pay a full social security benefit whether the person works for you 1 hr or 40 and that benefit is based on a salary of 70,000 colones whether you are paying them that or not.
You are in Atenas and we are in Grecia, if you want more information on what we are doing send me an e-mail and maybe we can get together.
I second most of Scott’s comments. Believe me he’s not over blowing it. You may have good intentions, but not everyone else does. It’s not only the labor laws that’ll trip you up, but also the squatters’ rights. This is particularly true since it sounds like you’ll be away for extended periods of time.
Unless you live in a highly secure abode (like a inium complex), you cannot leave your home alone! This is one of the hardest things for foreigners to truly appreciate in Costa Rica. Hard because they don’t believe it at first, then hard because their living rooms windows are gone when they got back (sad but true – I was gone for 3 hours, and we hadn’t installed the bars yet).
Unless your house is empty (including your water heater!), and you leave your blinds open so anyone can see that, you MUST leave a caretaker there. This would be an employee relationship, meaning appropriately managing your books (must be handwritten in an official log stamped by the government with each page numbered&) paying la Caja monthly (social security), aguinaldo (double salary in December, and sesentía (severance pay, which increases with time on the job). Once you get to know it all, it’s not that bad. And if you need a gardener, handyman, cleaner, guard, you might as well hire somebody. Getting the right person (or couple), well, that’s another can of worms.
Thank you all for your responses. The going rate in Atenas seems to be $150-200/month even if the caretaker does not have to travel; i.e. can walk a couple meters down the street. I welcome all comments.
Please follow Scott’s advice and get a proper contract. The Social Security that you must pay covers your employee’s family as well along with his/her pension when it is needed, and it is really not that much for you to pay. And you, yourself are protected by the contract as well.
fhmoroz,
I was not suggesting you not get a contract and a lawyer. That is what my husband and I have done for our business. At first when responding to your questions, my answer and response was about 2 pages long. So that is why I said if you want more detain from someone WHO is actually contracting workers then contact me.
We have several full time workers and our contractacts have been inspected by Securo social.
They did that when we applied for our business license. So, I have a working knowledge of how it should be done to benefit you and your contractors.
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