Costa Rica settlement: ₡750,000 / 3.5 years → ₡3,087,500
At ₡750,000, 3 years and 6 months, 8 unused vacation days, 6 aguinaldo months, and 30 notice days (cesantía at 100%), the exit totals ₡3,087,500.
With a salary of ₡750,000, 3 years and 6 months of seniority, 8 pending vacation days, 6 months of proportional aguinaldo, and 30 days of notice:
- Estimated severance (cesantía): ₡1,762,500 (70.5 salary-days)
- Notice: ₡750,000
- Pending vacation: ₡200,000
- Proportional aguinaldo: ₡375,000
- Estimated total settlement: ₡3,087,500
Severance is the largest item: it grows with years of service, so it pays to simulate it well.
Formula
Cesantía = daily salary × severance days by seniority
Notice = daily salary × notice days (up to 30) Vacation = daily salary × pending days Proportional aguinaldo = monthly salary × (period months ÷ 12)
Severance days depend on seniority: the Labor Code sets a scale that runs between roughly 19.5 and 22 days per year (with adjustments by bracket), calculated on the average salary of the last 6 months. The calculator applies that scale automatically from the years and months you enter.
Step-by-step example (default values)
- Daily salary = 750,000 ÷ 30 = ₡25,000
- Seniority = 3 years 6 months → severance scale ≈ 70.5 days
- Cesantía = 25,000 × 70.5 = ₡1,762,500
- Notice = 25,000 × 30 = ₡750,000; vacation = 25,000 × 8 = ₡200,000
- Proportional aguinaldo = 750,000 × 6/12 = ₡375,000
- Total = 1,762,500 + 750,000 + 200,000 + 375,000 = ₡3,087,500
Scenario table (same engine logic)
| Seniority | Severance days | Cesantía | Vacation | Aguinaldo | Notice | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 19.5 | ₡487,500 | ₡200,000 | ₡375,000 | ₡750,000 | ₡1,812,500 |
| 2 years | 39.5 | ₡987,500 | ₡200,000 | ₡375,000 | ₡750,000 | ₡2,312,500 |
| 3y 6m | 70.5 | ₡1,762,500 | ₡200,000 | ₡375,000 | ₡750,000 | ₡3,087,500 |
| 8 years | 167.74 | ₡4,193,500 | ₡200,000 | ₡375,000 | ₡750,000 | ₡5,518,500 |
Reading the result
The settlement in Costa Rica rewards seniority: the more years of service, the more severance days you accumulate, which is why a worker with 8 years receives more than double the cesantía of one with 2. Notice appears when the employer did not give it (or it was not worked): if you already worked it, that amount is not paid twice. Vacation and proportional aguinaldo are computed on what is pending at the exit date.
If you are dismissed without proven employer liability, cesantía is paid in full; on voluntary resignation without just cause, it may not apply — which is why the calculator has a field to adjust the severance percentage (100%, partial, or 0%) and compare scenarios before negotiating.
This tool is an educational estimate, not an official calculation. Severance days, notice periods, and caps can vary by collective agreement, contract type, or MTSS criteria. Before signing any exit agreement, validate the amounts with your payroll, the Ministry of Labor (MTSS), or labor advice.
FAQ
Cesantía, unworked notice, pending vacation, and proportional aguinaldo. With the default values, the estimated total is ₡3,087,500 on a ₡750,000 salary.
No. It depends on the termination type and employer responsibility. Use the cesantía percentage field to compare 100%, partial, or 0% for your case.
Days are SUMMED per year (19.5+20+20.5+½×21). At 3 years 6 months = 70.5 days (trap 3.5×20.5 = 71.75 → ₡1,793,750).
No. If the notice period was already worked, that item is not paid separately. The calculator adds it only when it was not worked (30 days by default).
Not exactly. On exit, you receive the proportional share of aguinaldo for the period earned. The full December payment only applies if you are still active.
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