← Environmental Law Center← Centro de Derecho Ambiental
Res. 00710-2004 Sala Segunda de la Corte · Sala Segunda de la Corte · 27/08/2004
OutcomeResultado
The Second Chamber granted the appeal, overturned the challenged judgment, and ordered the State to grant a proportional Treasury Regime pension to the plaintiff from the time she stopped working, without special award of costs.La Sala Segunda declaró con lugar el recurso de casación, revocó la sentencia impugnada y condenó al Estado a conceder una pensión proporcional del Régimen de Hacienda a la actora, desde que dejara de laborar, sin especial condena en costas.
SummaryResumen
The Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice ruled on an appeal in an ordinary labor proceeding filed by a Legislative Assembly employee against the State, seeking a proportional pension under the Treasury Regime. The plaintiff, born in 1941, contributed to the Treasury Regime since February 1987. The Chamber found that the plaintiff was lawfully enrolled in the regime from the moment she began contributing. Although Law 7302 of 1992 unified the special pension regimes funded by the national budget and set new requirements (60 years of age and 30 years of contributions, or 65 years and 20 years), Transitory II of the same law preserved vested rights under previous legislation. By July 15, 1992, when Law 7302 took effect, the plaintiff had 51 years of age and 17 years of service, meeting the requirements of Article 13 of Law 148 (over 50 years old and over 10 years of service) for a proportional pension. Therefore, the Chamber overturned the appellate decision and ordered the State to grant the requested pension from the time she stopped working, without a special award of costs due to the case's complexity.La Sala Segunda de la Corte Suprema de Justicia resolvió un recurso de casación en un proceso ordinario laboral presentado por una funcionaria de la Asamblea Legislativa contra el Estado, en el cual solicitaba una pensión proporcional del Régimen de Hacienda. La actora, nacida en 1941, cotizó para el Régimen de Hacienda desde febrero de 1987. La Sala determinó que la demandante estaba legítimamente incorporada a dicho régimen desde que empezó a cotizar. Aunque la Ley 7302 de 1992 unificó los regímenes especiales de pensiones con cargo al presupuesto nacional y estableció nuevos requisitos (60 años de edad y 30 de cotización, o 65 años y 20 de cotización), el Transitorio II de esa misma ley permitió conservar los derechos adquiridos bajo la normativa anterior. Al 15 de julio de 1992, fecha de entrada en vigencia de la Ley 7302, la actora tenía 51 años de edad y 17 años de servicio, cumpliendo así los requisitos del artículo 13 de la Ley 148 (más de 50 años de edad y más de 10 años de servicio) para una pensión proporcional. En consecuencia, la Sala revocó la sentencia de segunda instancia y condenó al Estado a otorgarle la pensión solicitada, desde que dejara de laborar, sin especial condena en costas por tratarse de un asunto complejo.
Key excerptExtracto clave
Said law (7.302) took effect upon its publication on July 15, 1992. At that time, Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943 required, to be eligible for a pension, thirty years of service and over fifty years of age for a full pension; and for a proportional one, it required having served more than ten years (articles 1 and 13). In the plaintiff's case, as of July 15, 1992, the effective date of law 7.302, she already met the requirements for a proportional pension (she was 51 years old and had 17 years of service), which is why this transitory provision applies to her. Consequently, the plaintiff does have the right to be granted a pension from the special Treasury regime, proportional to the time served.Dicha ley (la 7.302), entró en vigencia a partir de su publicación, el día 15 de julio de 1.992. Para ese momento, la Ley N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.943 exigía, para poderse pensionar, treinta años de servicio y más de cincuenta de edad, para una pensión completa; y, para una proporcional, se requería haber servido más de diez años (artículos 1 y 13). En el caso de la actora, al 15 de julio de 1.992, fecha de vigencia de la ley 7.302, ya cumplía los requisitos para gozar de una pensión proporcional (tenía 51 años de edad y 17 años de servicio), razón por la cual le resulta aplicable este transitorio. Consecuentemente, la demandante sí tiene derecho a que se le conceda una pensión del régimen especial de Hacienda, proporcional al tiempo servido.
Pull quotesCitas destacadas
"Aquellas personas que, a la entrada en vigencia de esta Ley, reúnan los requisitos para adquirir el derecho a la pensión, preceptuados por cualquiera de los regímenes especiales afectados en esta Ley, conservarán su derecho a pensionarse al amparo de esa normativa especial."
"Those persons who, at the entry into force of this Law, meet the requirements to acquire the right to a pension prescribed by any of the special regimes affected by this Law, shall retain their right to retire under that special regulation."
Transitorio II de la Ley 7302
"Aquellas personas que, a la entrada en vigencia de esta Ley, reúnan los requisitos para adquirir el derecho a la pensión, preceptuados por cualquiera de los regímenes especiales afectados en esta Ley, conservarán su derecho a pensionarse al amparo de esa normativa especial."
Transitorio II de la Ley 7302
"En el caso de la actora, al 15 de julio de 1.992, fecha de vigencia de la ley 7.302, ya cumplía los requisitos para gozar de una pensión proporcional (tenía 51 años de edad y 17 años de servicio), razón por la cual le resulta aplicable este transitorio."
"In the plaintiff's case, as of July 15, 1992, the effective date of law 7.302, she already met the requirements for a proportional pension (she was 51 years old and had 17 years of service), which is why this transitory provision applies to her."
Considerando IV
"En el caso de la actora, al 15 de julio de 1.992, fecha de vigencia de la ley 7.302, ya cumplía los requisitos para gozar de una pensión proporcional (tenía 51 años de edad y 17 años de servicio), razón por la cual le resulta aplicable este transitorio."
Considerando IV
"Los servidores de la Asamblea Legislativa estaban cubiertos por la Ley N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.943, desde el momento de su promulgación (Congreso Constitucional); referidos luego como los servidores de la Asamblea Legislativa en la ley número 2.417, del 14 de setiembre de 1.959."
"The employees of the Legislative Assembly were covered by Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, from the moment of its enactment (Constitutional Congress); later referred to as the employees of the Legislative Assembly in law number 2.417 of September 14, 1959."
Considerando III
"Los servidores de la Asamblea Legislativa estaban cubiertos por la Ley N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.943, desde el momento de su promulgación (Congreso Constitucional); referidos luego como los servidores de la Asamblea Legislativa en la ley número 2.417, del 14 de setiembre de 1.959."
Considerando III
Full documentDocumento completo
2004-00710 Res:* 2004-00710* SALA SEGUNDA DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, at fourteen hours thirty minutes on the twenty-seventh of August, two thousand four.* * * * * * * * * Ordinary proceeding (Proceso ordinario) filed before the Labor Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José, by [Nombre1], single, secretary, against EL ESTADO, represented by its Deputy Procurator, licensed Luz Marina Gutiérrez Porras, single. Acting as special judicial attorney for the plaintiff is licensed Rafael Ángel Guzmán Alfaro, married, the latter two being lawyers. All of legal age and residents of San José.* RESULTANDO:* * * * * * * * * 1.-* The plaintiff, in a brief dated the ninth of December, nineteen ninety-nine, filed this action so that, in judgment, the defendant be ordered to grant her a pension from the Hacienda Regime under the terms of Law 7302 of the eighth of July, nineteen ninety-two, and to pay her costs for this action.* * * * * * * * * 2.- * The State's representative answered the action in the terms indicated in the brief dated the thirteenth of June of the year two thousand and raised the defenses of lack of right and lack of active and passive standing (falta de legitimación ad causam activa y pasiva).* * * * * * * * * 3.- * The judge, licensed Ignacio Saborío Crespo, by judgment at fifteen hours two minutes on the ninth of December, two thousand two, ordered:* "In accordance with the foregoing and the legal and jurisprudential citations invoked, the pension claim of [Nombre1] against EL ESTADO is DECLARED WITHOUT MERIT in all its aspects, the defenses of lack of right and lack of active and passive standing (falta de legitimación ad causam activa y pasiva) raised by the State's representative are upheld, and the dispute is resolved without special condemnation for costs. The parties are advised that this judgment admits the appeal remedy, which must be filed before this Court within three days. Within the same period and before this jurisdictional body, the factual or legal grounds on which the appealing party bases their disagreement must also be set forth, either orally or in writing; under the warning that the appeal will be declared inadmissible (Articles 500 and 501, subsections c) and d) of the Labor Code; Rulings of the Constitutional Chamber Numbers 5798, at 16:21 hours, of August 11, 1998, and 1306 at 16:27 hours of February 23, 1999, and Ruling of the Second Chamber Number 386, at 14:20 hours, of December 10, 1999)".* * * * * * * * * 4.-* The attorney for the plaintiff appealed, and the Labor Tribunal, First Section of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José, composed of licensed Luis Fernando Salazar Alvarado, Mayita Ramón Barquero, and Guillermo Bonilla Vindas, by judgment at ten hours thirty-five minutes on the twenty-seventh of February of the current year, resolved: "It is declared that no defects or omissions that could cause nullity or defenselessness to the parties are noted in the proceeding. The challenged ruling is confirmed." * 5.- The attorney for the plaintiff files an appeal, before this Chamber, in a brief dated the eighteenth of May of the current year,* which is based on the reasons that will be stated below in the considering part.* * * * * * * * * 6.- The prescriptions of law have been observed in the proceedings.* * * * * * * * * Drafted by Magistrate van der Laat Echeverría; and,* CONSIDERANDO:* I-.* The special judicial attorney for the plaintiff challenges judgment No. 116, issued at 10:35 hours on February 27, 2004, by the first section of the Labor Tribunal of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José. He alleges that his client became covered by the Hacienda Pensions Regime when she began contributing to it in May 1983. He indicates that Law No. 7007 of November 5, 1985 (which was never declared unconstitutional) reformed Article 13 of Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, establishing as requirements to enjoy a proportional pension 50 years of age and 10 of service. The plaintiff was born on May 26, 1941, so by May 26, 1991, she was already 50 years old and had more than 10 years of service, that being the date on which she acquired the right, before Law No. 7302 of July 8, 1992, came into force. Consequently, he requests that the appealed ruling be revoked and that his client be granted a proportional pension from the Hacienda Regime.* II-.BACKGROUND: Miss [Nombre1] was born on May 26, 1941 (folio 132). She worked at Radiográfica Costarricense S.A. from September 9, 1965, to December 14, 1973, during which time she contributed to the Disability, Old Age, and Death Regime of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (folios 125 and 127). As of May 2, 1983, she works at the Legislative Assembly. From that date until the first half of February 1987, she contributed to the Disability, Old Age, and Death Regime, and as of the second half of February 1987, she does so for the Hacienda Regime (folios 18 and 58-64). By virtue of the fact that her request for a pension from the latter regime was rejected at the administrative level (see administrative file at folios 39-148), she filed this claim, which is based on Law No. 148 and its reforms—especially those introduced by Laws 7013 and 7302—as well as on Article 29 of ILO Convention No. 102. The defenses of lack of right and lack of active and passive standing were raised against these claims. The * * lower court rejected the claim, upheld the defenses raised, and resolved without special condemnation for costs, considering that the plaintiff had litigated in good faith. In its view, Miss [Nombre1] did not complete the requirements to retire before May 19, 1993, the date on which the time limit for the dimensioning of effects of the declaration of unconstitutionality of Law No. 7013 expired. The Tribunal confirmed the ruling thus made, but for different reasons: the Legislative Assembly was covered by the Hacienda Regime by original Law No. 148, so the plaintiff became covered by it from the moment she began contributing to it. However, Law 148 was affected by Law No. 7302, whose Article 4 set the new requirements for retirement: 60 years of age and 30 contributing to the special regime, or 65 years of age and 20 of contribution, requirements that the plaintiff does not meet, without Transitional Provision III of said law being applicable to her because said norm refers to the total pension and not the proportional one as the plaintiff intends.* III-.OF THE RIGHT OF BELONGING OF THE PLAINTIFF TO THE HACIENDA PENSIONS REGIME:* Having analyzed the dependencies where the plaintiff provided her services, it is clear that she could enter the Hacienda Pensions Regime. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, originally, in Article 13, established: "The provisions of this law shall also be applied to the officials and employees of the Constitutional Congress and those of the Control Center, with respect to services provided in dependencies or for previous services in other functions. In these cases, the definitive knowledge thereof shall be the responsibility of the Directorate of the Congress." This numeral 13 underwent various modifications, in the manner and order set forth in ruling of this Chamber No. 622 at 9:50 hours on December 11, 2002. By Law Number 2,417 of September 14, 1959 (Article 1), it was modified in the following sense:* "Officials or employees of the Legislative Assembly, the Comptroller General of the Republic, and the former Control Center may request their retirement with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are more than fifty years old. When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. In the case of deputies, the pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years. Years served as a deputy in the Legislative Assembly shall be computed towards those served in the Public Administration."* * * * * * * * * * * Subsequently, with Law Number 2,493 of May 11, 1960 (Article 1), the following paragraph was added:* "This pension regime shall be optional for Deputies. Consequently, they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obliged to contribute financially to it when they inform the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly that they do not wish to belong to that regime. The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the National Treasury, so that in those cases the deduction indicated in this same law is not made."* * * * * * * * * * * In 1974, by Law No. 5,664 of December 27, 1974 (Article 9), the following paragraph was added: * "Former members of the Supreme Powers protected by this Regime who are older than seventy years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month."* * * * * * * * * * * By Law No. 5,696 of May 14, 1975 (Article 14), it was reformed as follows:* "Former members of the Supreme Powers protected by this regime who are older than sixty-five years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month."* * * * * * * * * * * In Article 9 of Law No. 5,875 of December 26, 1975, it was again modified:* "Former members of the Supreme Powers protected by this Regime who are older than sixty-five years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* * * Then, it was reformed again by Law No. 6,025 of December 20, 1976 (Article 9):* "Former members of the Supreme Powers protected by this Regime who are older than sixty years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* * * Later it was also reformed through Law No. 6,191 of December 12, 1977 (Article 9), in the following sense: * "Former members of the Supreme Powers, protected by this Regime who are older than sixty years of age or their widows, shall have the right to a pension of no less than three thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* * * * * * * * * * * By Article 20 of Law Number 6,256 of April 28, 1978, it was modified again, adding a new paragraph, which provided:* "Likewise, former members of the Supreme Powers not protected by other pension regimes, who meet the indicated requirements, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article."* * * In that same year it was reformed, adding a new paragraph, through Article 9 of Law No. 6,305 of December 21 (1978), in the following sense:* " Former members of the Supreme Powers, protected by this regime who are older than sixty years of age or their widows, shall have the right to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* * * By Law 6,406 of December 17, 1979 (Article 9), it was modified again:* "Former members of the Supreme Powers, covered by this regime or their widows, shall have the right to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* * * Through Law No. 6,542 of December 22, 1980 (Article 9), said Article 13 was modified as follows:* "Former members of the Supreme Powers or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall have the right to a pension of no less than ¢ 6,000.00 (six thousand colones). Those former members of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses, as applicable, older than sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the period for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age in case of need, shall also have the right to a pension not less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law No. 3,808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those referring to the quotas for the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Hacienda is authorized to vary budget items to cover the obligations derived from this norm. The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must make, ex officio in the payrolls, the necessary adjustments to adapt them to the provisions of this norm."* * * * * * * * * * * Again it was modified by Law Number 6,700 of December 23, 1981 (Article 9), providing:* "The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is reformed, so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:* \"Article 13.- Former members of the Supreme Powers or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall have the right to a pension of no less than ¢ 8,000.00 (eight thousand colones). Those former members of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses, as applicable, older than sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the period for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age, shall also have the right to a pension not less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law Number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those referring to the quotas for the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Hacienda is authorized to vary the budget items to cover the obligations derived from this norm. The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must make, ex officio in the payrolls, the necessary adjustments to adapt them to the provisions of this norm\". * A last paragraph is added to Article 13 of Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its reforms, which shall read: \"This norm modifies the laws, articles, and subsections that oppose it.\" * * * * * * * * * * * By Law No. 6,811 of September 10, 1982 (Article 8, norm 183), it was modified in the following sense: * * "The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is reformed so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:* Article 13: Former ministers of the Supreme Powers or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall have the right to a pension of no less than ten thousand colones (¢ 10,000). Those former ministers of the Supreme Powers, including the vice presidents and their surviving spouses, as applicable, older than sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the period for which they were elected; or under sixty years of age, shall also have the right to a pension not less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law Number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those referring to the quotas for the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Hacienda is authorized to vary budget items, in order to cover the obligations derived from this norm. The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must make the necessary adjustments, ex officio, to adapt them to the provisions of this norm."* * * * * * * * * * * Later, an attempt was made to reform it again, by Law Number 6,831 of December 23, 1982 (Article 54); however, with respect to that and other norms, the law was returned without the corresponding approval of the Executive Branch. * By Law No. 6,914 of November 28, 1983 (Article 10), it was modified again, in the following manner: * \"Article 13.-Employees and officials of the Legislative Assembly and the Comptroller General of the Republic, and those who provide their services in dependencies and institutions of the State, who have the right to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are more than fifty years old. * When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obliged to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they communicate in writing to the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly that they do not wish to belong to the regime.* The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.* In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.* Years served as deputies shall be computed towards the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can be demonstrated.* Former members of the supreme powers, including vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are more than fifty years old, in which case they shall have the right to a retirement of no less than ten thousand colones per month. The surviving spouses of the mentioned former officials shall have the same right.* The pension of former deputies shall increase each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to years of service and, in no case, may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diems or salaries that a deputy earns monthly, for commission sessions and plenary of the Legislative Assembly.* The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions: * a) Those contemplated in Article 10 of this law.* b) Those indicated by Law No. 3808 of November 22, 1966.* c) The quotas for the Costa Rican Social Security Fund.* ch) Those indicated by the beneficiary of the pension to the Mechanized Technical Office, and the corresponding proportion in the case of alimony.* Transitional: The increase in the pensions of former deputies, referred to in the fourth paragraph of this Article 13, shall be recognized in its entirety as of the month of January 1983.* The Ministry of Hacienda is authorized to vary the corresponding budget items, in order to cover the obligations established herein.* The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must make ex officio, in the corresponding payrolls, the necessary adjustments to the retirements and pensions already granted, to adapt them to the provisions of this law."* * * * * * * * * * * By Law No. 6,963 of July 30, 1984 (Article 46), it was changed as follows:* "Article 46. The 5th paragraph of Article 13 of the Law of Hacienda Pensions No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its reforms, reformed by Article 10 of Law Number 6914, is reformed as follows: Former members of the supreme powers, including vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of 10 years and are more than fifty years old, in which case they shall have the right to a retirement of no less than 10 thousand colones per month. The surviving spouses of the mentioned former officials and unmarried or disabled daughters shall have the same right."* * * * * * * * * * * It then underwent a new change, through Law No. 6,995 (Article 123) of July 22, 1985, wherein it was provided: * Article 123.- The fifth paragraph of Article 13 of the Law of Hacienda Pensions, No. 148 of August 23, 1948, and its reforms, is reformed, the text of which shall read:* \"Former members of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and vice ministers...\" (The rest of the paragraph is the same). It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and former vice ministers are also those who held positions of Secretary and Undersecretary of State. Likewise, those persons who were given the rank of minister or vice minister."* * * It was also reformed by Law No. 7,007 of November 5, 1985 (Article 5), providing: * "Article 5.- Article 13 of the Law of Hacienda Pensions, No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its reforms, is modified, the text of which shall read: * \"Article 13.-Employees and officials of the Legislative Assembly and the Comptroller General of the Republic, and those who provide their services in dependencies and institutions of the State, who have the right to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are more than fifty years old. * When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obliged to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they communicate in writing to the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly that they do not wish to belong to the regime.* The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.* In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.* Years served as deputies shall be computed towards the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can be demonstrated. * Former members of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and vice ministers, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are more than fifty years old, in which case they shall have the right to a retirement of no less than ten thousand colones per month.* It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and * * * * * * * * * * * former vice ministers are also those who held positions of Secretary and Undersecretary of State. Likewise, those persons who were given the rank of minister or vice minister.* The surviving spouses of the mentioned former officials and unmarried or disabled daughters shall have the same right.* The pension of retired former deputies under any of the pension regimes shall increase each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to years of service and, in no case, may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diems or salaries that a deputy earns monthly, for commission sessions and plenary of the Legislative Assembly.* The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions:* a) Those contemplated in Article 10 of this law.* b) Those indicated by Law No. 3808 of November 22, 1966.* c) The quotas for the Costa Rican Social Security Fund.* ch) Those indicated by the beneficiary of the pension to the Mechanized Technical Office, and the corresponding proportion in the case of alimony.* The Ministry of Hacienda shall transfer, to each regime, the necessary sum so that it can cover the increase set by this law, for which it shall make the corresponding budgetary provisions\".* * * It was finally reformed by Law Number 7,018 of December 13, 1985 (Article 14), in the following sense:* "38. The third paragraph of Article 13 of the Law of Hacienda Pensions, No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its reforms, is modified, the text of which shall read:* In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the best salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month." * * * * * * * * * * * Some of those reforms, specifically those introduced by Laws Numbers 6,191 of 1977 (Article 9), 6,542 of 1980 (Article 9), 6,700 of 1981 (Article 9), 6,811 of 1982 (Article 8, norm 183), and 7,018 of 1985 (Article 14, norms 37 and 38), were declared unconstitutional, through Ruling Number 2,136, at 14:00 hours on October 23, 1991, ordering the nullity of those norms, without prejudice to acquired rights and also establishing the following:* "Likewise, the effects of this declaration are dimensioned, in the sense that all those persons who had entered and contributed to the Hacienda Pensions Regime prior to the entry into force of Law # 7013 of November 18, 1985, because any of the budgetary norms that are declared null and that this law contemplates had so permitted, shall have the right to remain in it. As for the servants who had entered the Hacienda Pensions Regime after the enactment of Law No. 7013 of November 18, 1985, and those who had done so in the communications pensions regime, because any of the norms that are annulled had so permitted, they shall have the right to have the quotas they had paid transferred, at their request, to the special retirement or pension regime they indicate, provided they had contributed to it or had been legally empowered to do so, and if they had not done so in any, or had not been legally empowered for it, they may continue contributing to the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, which must recognize the time served, and they shall have the right to demand the transfer of the corresponding quotas, in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions that regulate it." However, as was stated, the servants of the Legislative Assembly were covered by Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, from the moment of its enactment (Constitutional Congress); later referred to as the servants of the Legislative Assembly in Law Number 2,417 of September 14, 1959. Therefore, the plaintiff was duly incorporated into this special regime, from the moment she effectively began contributing to it, in February 1987. * IV-. CONCERNING LAW NO. 7,302 AND HOW IT DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT: It is clear that the plaintiff became covered by the Hacienda Pensions Regime. Now, said regime was affected by Law No. 7,302 of July 8, 1992, published in La Gaceta No. 13 of July 15, 1992, and in force as of its publication, which is the Law for the Creation of the General Regime of Pensions Chargeable to the National Budget, of Other Special Regimes and Reform to Law No. 7,092 of April 21, 1988, and its Reforms, the Income Tax Law. Through the enactment of this law, the legislator sought to unify the different special pension regimes chargeable to the national budget. Therefore, Article 1 stated: "The General Regime of Pensions Chargeable to the National Budget is created, to which, henceforth, the granting of all retirements and pensions of the contributory regimes that are based on the provision of service to the State, originating prior to the entry into force of this Law and whose payment is chargeable to the National Budget, shall be subject.
For officials who enter the service of the State after the entry into force of this Law, the provisions of article 38 shall apply.” Among the regimes contemplated in that article 1 was the one set forth in Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, that is, the Hacienda regime, and this was provided for in article 2 of Decree No. 21,996, by which the Regulation to Law No. 7,302 was issued, stating: “The following are special contributory regimes subject to the General Pension Regime in accordance with article 1 of Law No. 7,302: ... f) Hacienda 148 and other employees. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943.” Consequently, in accordance with that first article of the law, thereafter, the pensions granted based on that special regime had to be adjusted to the new general regime. Now, article 4 of this Law No. 7,302 provided:* “ARTICLE 4.- The following shall have the right to avail themselves of retirement:* a) Servers who are at least sixty years of age, who have served the State and contributed to the special regime to which they belong for at least thirty years.* b) Servers who are more than sixty-five years of age and who have served and contributed to the special regime to which they belong for more than twenty years.* c) The worker who meets the legal requirements to opt for retirement must have the freedom to exercise that right. Intimations, discrimination, or any other form of pressure or harassment to force the worker to retire mandatorily for exclusive reasons of age are expressly prohibited. (This subsection was thus added by article 70 of Law No. 7935* of October 25, 1999).”* * * * * * * * * * * Thus, in principle, according to that new regime, the plaintiff would have the right to the pension she claims, if she were sixty years of age and had thirty years of service and contributions, or if she were more than sixty-five years of age, provided she had served and contributed for more than twenty years in one of the special regimes; requirements she does not meet. However, in the final chapter, referring to the Final Provisions (Chapter IX), a series of transitional rules were introduced that favorably affect the plaintiff's right. Thus, Transitory Provision II established:* “Those persons who, upon the entry into force of this Law, meet the requirements to acquire the right to a pension, stipulated by any of the special regimes affected by this Law, shall retain their right to pension under the protection of that special regulation.”* * Said law (7,302), entered into force as of its publication, on July 15, 1992. At that time, Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943 required, to be able to pension, thirty years of service and more than fifty years of age, for a full pension; and, for a proportional one, it required having served more than ten years (articles 1 and 13). In the plaintiff's case, as of July 15, 1992, the effective date of Law 7,302, she already met the requirements to enjoy a proportional pension (she was 51 years of age and had 17 years of service), which is why this transitory provision applies to her. Consequently, the plaintiff does have the right to be granted a pension from the special Hacienda regime, proportional to the time served.* V-. REGARDING COSTS:* The Chamber considers that it must be resolved without special condemnation in those expenses; since it is considered that numeral 222 of the Civil Procedure Code is applicable, given that it is a complex matter, where the rules are not easily applied and because both administrative and judicial criteria have not been stable. Therefore, the legal position of the State's representation, during the course of the proceeding, is considered to be in good faith.* VI-. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: In accordance with what has been considered, it is deemed appropriate to revoke the appealed decision and, in its place, to uphold the lawsuit filed by Mrs. [Nombre1], regarding the requested pension; the State must be condemned to grant her a proportional pension from the Hacienda regime, from the moment she ceases to work, and resolved without special condemnation in costs, for the reasons indicated.* THEREFORE:* The appealed judgment is revoked. In its place, the lawsuit filed by Mrs. [Nombre1] is upheld, and the State is condemned to grant her a proportional pension from the Hacienda regime, from the moment she ceases to work. It is resolved without special condemnation in costs.* * * * * * Orlando Aguirre Gómez* * * * * * * * * Zarela María Villanueva Monge* Bernardo van der Laat Echeverría* * * * * * * * * Julia Varela Araya* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Rolando Vega Robert* dhv 7302, whose article 4 established the new requirements to retire: 60 years of age and 30 years of contributions to the special regime, or 65 years of age and 20 years of contributions, requirements that the plaintiff does not meet, nor is Transitory Provision III of that law applicable to her, as that provision refers to a full pension and not a proportional one as the plaintiff seeks.</span><span style="font-family:Arial; letter-spacing:-0.15pt">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold">III-. OF THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE TREASURY PENSION REGIME:</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">Having analyzed the offices where the plaintiff provided her services, it is clear that she could have entered the Treasury Pension Regime.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, originally, in Article 13, established: </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"The provisions of this law shall also apply </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic">to the officials and employees of the Constitutional Congress</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> and those of the Control Center, with respect to services rendered in offices or for prior services in other functions.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> In these cases, the Directorate of the Congress shall have final jurisdiction over them."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">This Article 13 underwent various amendments, in the form and order set forth in this Chamber's ruling No. 622 at 9:50 hours on December 11, 2002.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> By Law No. 2,417, of September 14, 1959 (Article 1), it was amended as follows:</span><span style="line-height:200%; font-size:10pt">*</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic">The officials or employees of the </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; text-decoration:underline">Legislative Assembly</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, and the former Control Center, may request retirement with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> In the case of deputies, the pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> Years served as a deputy in the Legislative Assembly shall be credited toward those served in the Public Administration."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> Subsequently, with Law No. 2,493 of May 11, 1960 (Article 1), the following paragraph was added:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"This pension regime shall be optional for Deputies.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> Consequently, they shall not be covered by its benefits nor obliged to contribute financially to it, when they notify the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly that they do not wish to belong to this regime. The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the National Treasury, so that in those cases the deduction indicated in this same law is not made."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> In 1974, by Law No. 5,664, of December 27, 1974 (Article 9), the following paragraph was added: </span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this Regime who are over seventy years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> By Law No. 5,696 of May 14, 1975 (Article 14), it was reformed as follows:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this regime who are over sixty-five years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> In Article 9, of Law No. 5,875, of December 26, 1975, it was again amended:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this Regime who are over sixty-five years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">Then, it was again reformed by Law No. 6,025, of December 20, 1976 (Article 9):</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this Regime who are over sixty years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">Later it was also reformed through Law No. 6,191, of December 12, 1977, (Article 9), in the following sense: </span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches, protected by this Regime who are over sixty years of age or their widows, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than three thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> By Article 20 of Law No. 6,256, of April 28, 1978, it was again amended, adding a new paragraph, which provided:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches not protected by other pension regimes, who meet the indicated requirements, may likewise avail themselves of the rights established in this article."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-right:30.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">In that same year it was reformed, adding a new paragraph, through Article 9 of Law No. 6,305, of December 21 (1978), in the following sense:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches, protected by this regime who are over sixty years of age or their widows, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">By Law 6,406, of December 17, 1979 (Article 9), it was once again amended:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches, covered by this regime</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> or their widows, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">Through Law No. 6,542, of December 22, 1980 (Article 9), said Article 13 was amended as follows:</span></p><p style="margin:0pt 30.9pt 0pt 35.45pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Former members of the Supreme Branches or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than ¢ 6,000.00 (six thousand colones).</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> Those former members of the Supreme Branches, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses where applicable, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, whether or not they have fully served the term for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age in case of need, shall also be entitled to a pension no less than said amount.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in No. 3,808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those pertaining to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in case of alimony.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary budget items to cover the obligations deriving from this provision.</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must make, ex officio in the payrolls, the necessary adjustments to conform them to the provisions of this rule."</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span></p><p style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'">*</span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> </span><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'"> It was once again amended by Law No. 6,700 of December 23, 1981 (Article 9), providing:</span></p><p style="margin:12pt 36.85pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is reformed, so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:</span><span style="font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'">*</span></p><p style="margin:12pt 36.85pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic">"Article 13.- Former members of the Supreme Branches or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than ¢ 8,000.00 (eight thousand colones). Those former members of the Supreme Branches, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses where applicable, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, whether or not they have fully served the term for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age, shall also be entitled to a pension no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law No. 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those pertaining to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in case of alimony. The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary budget items to cover the obligations deriving from this provision. The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must make, ex officio in the payrolls, the necessary adjustments to conform them to the provisions of this rule."</span> * A last paragraph is added to Article 13 of Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its amendments, which shall read: "This rule modifies the laws, articles, and subsections that oppose it." * * * * * * * * * * * By Law No. 6.811, of September 10, 1982 (Article 8, rule 183), it was modified as follows: * * "The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is amended so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:* Article 13: Former ministers of the Supreme Powers or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than ten thousand colones (¢ 10,000). Those former ministers of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses, as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who have or have not fully completed the term for which they were elected; or under sixty years of age, shall also be entitled to a pension of no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary budget items in order to cover the obligations derived from this rule. The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must, ex officio, make the necessary adjustments to adapt them to the provisions of this rule."* * * * * * * * * * Subsequently, an attempt was made to amend it again, by Law number 6.831, of December 23, 1982 (Article 54); however, regarding this and other rules, the law was returned without the corresponding sanction of the Executive Branch. * By Law No. 6.914, of November 28, 1983 (Article 10), it was again modified, as follows: * "Article 13.-The employees and officials of the Legislative Assembly and of the Contraloría General de la República, and those who provide their services in state dependencies and institutions, who are entitled to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age. * When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obligated to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they notify the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly in writing that they do not wish to belong to the regime.* The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made in those cases.* In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.* The years served as deputies shall be counted together with the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can be demonstrated.* Former members of the supreme powers, including vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement pension of no less than ten thousand colones per month. The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials shall have the same right.* The pension of former deputies shall increase each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to years of service and, in no case, may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diem allowances or salaries that a deputy earns monthly, for committee and plenary sessions of the Legislative Assembly.* The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions: * a) Those contemplated in Article 10 of this law.* b) Those indicated by Law No. 3808 of November 22, 1966.* c) Contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.* ch) Those indicated by the beneficiary of the pension to the Oficina Técnica Mecanizada, and the corresponding proportion in the case of alimony.* Transitional: The increase in the pensions of former deputies, referred to in the fourth paragraph of this Article 13, shall be recognized in its entirety starting from the month of January 1983.* The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary the corresponding budget items in order to cover the obligations established herein.* The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must, ex officio, make the necessary adjustments to the retirement pensions and pensions already granted in the corresponding payrolls, to adapt them to the provisions of this law."* * * * * * * * * * * By Law No. 6.963, of July 30, 1984 (Article 46), it was altered thus:* "Article 46. Paragraph 5 of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its amendments, amended by Article 10 of Law number 6914, is amended as follows: Former members of the supreme powers, including vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of 10 years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement pension of no less than 10 thousand colones per month. The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials and unmarried or invalid daughters shall have the same right."* * * * * * * * * * Subsequently, it underwent a new change, through Law No. 6.995 (Article 123), of July 22, 1985, which provided: * Article 123.- Paragraph five of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1948 and its amendments, is amended, the text of which shall read:* "Former members of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and viceministers..." (The rest of the paragraph is the same). It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and former viceministers are also those who held positions of Secretary and Undersecretary of State. Likewise, those persons who were given the rank of minister or viceminister."* * It was also amended by Law No. 7.007, of November 5, 1985 (Article 5), providing: * "Article 5.- Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its amendments, is modified, the text of which shall read: * "Article 13.-The employees and officials of the Legislative Assembly and of the Contraloría General de la República, and those who provide their services in state dependencies and institutions, who are entitled to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age. * When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obligated to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they notify the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly in writing that they do not wish to belong to the regime.* The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.* In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.* The years served as deputies shall be counted together with the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can be demonstrated. * Former members of the Supreme Powers, including vice presidents and viceministers, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement pension of no less than ten thousand colones per month.* It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and* * * * * * * * * * * former viceministers are also those who held positions of Secretary and Undersecretary of State. Likewise, those persons who were given the rank of minister or viceminister.* The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials and unmarried or invalid daughters shall have the same right.* The pension of former deputies retired under any of the pension regimes shall increase each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to years of service and, in no case, may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diem allowances or salaries that a deputy earns monthly, for committee and plenary sessions of the Legislative Assembly.* The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions:* a) Those contemplated in Article 10 of this law.* b) Those indicated by Law No. 3808 of November 22, 1966.* c) Contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.* ch) Those indicated by the beneficiary of the pension to the Oficina Técnica Mecanizada, and the corresponding proportion in the case of alimony.* The Ministry of Finance shall transfer, to each regime, the necessary sum so that it can cover the increase set by this law, for which purpose it shall make the corresponding budget provisions".* * Finally, it was amended by Law number 7.018, of December 13, 1985 (Article 14), as follows:* "38.
Modify the third paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its amendments, the text of which shall read:
"In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement pension (jubilación) shall be equal to the best salary earned in the last five years, in service to the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month." Some of these amendments, specifically those introduced by laws number 6,191 of 1977 (Article 9), 6,542 of 1980 (Article 9), 6,700 of 1981 (Article 9), 6,811 of 1982 (Article 8, standard 183), and 7,018 of 1985 (Article 14, standards 37 and 38), were declared unconstitutional, by vote number 2,136, at 2:00 p.m. on October 23, 1991, ordering the nullity of those standards, without prejudice to acquired rights and establishing, furthermore, the following: "In the same manner, the effects of this declaration are dimensioned, in the sense that all those persons who had entered and contributed to the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda prior to the entry into force of Law # 7013 of November 18, 1985, having been permitted to do so by any of the budgetary standards that are declared null and that said law contemplates, shall have the right to remain in it. As for the employees who had entered the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda after the enactment of Law No. 7013 of November 18, 1985, and those who had done so in the communications pension regime, having been permitted to do so by any of the standards that are annulled, they shall have the right to have the contributions they had paid transferred, at their request, to the special retirement or pension regime they indicate, provided they had contributed to it or had been legally empowered to do so, and if they had not done so into any, or had not been legally empowered to do so, they may continue contributing to the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social, which must recognize the time served and they shall have the right to demand the transfer of the corresponding contributions, in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions that govern it." However, as stated, the employees of the Legislative Assembly were covered by Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, from the moment of its enactment (Constitutional Congress); later referred to as the employees of the Legislative Assembly in law number 2,417, of September 14, 1959. Then, the plaintiff was duly incorporated into this special regime, from the moment in which she effectively began to contribute to it, in February 1987.
**IV-. ON LAW No. 7,302 AND HOW IT DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT:** It is clear that the plaintiff was covered by the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda. Now, said regime was affected by Law No. 7,302, of July 8, 1992, published in La Gaceta No. 13 of July 15, 1992, and effective from its publication, which is the Law for the Creation of the General Pension Regime Funded by the National Budget, other Special Regimes, and Amendment to Law No. 7,092 of April 21, 1988, and its Amendments, Income Tax Law. Through the enactment of this law, the legislator sought to unify the different special pension regimes funded by the national budget. For this reason, Article 1 stated: "The Régimen General de Pensiones con cargo al Presupuesto Nacional is hereby created, to which, henceforth, the granting of all retirement pensions (jubilaciones) and pensions (pensiones) of the contributory regimes that are based on the provision of service to the State, originated prior to the entry into force of this Law and whose payment is the responsibility of the National Budget, shall be adjusted. For officials who enter the service of the State after the entry into force of this Law, the provisions of Article 38 shall apply." Among the regimes contemplated in that Article 1 was that contemplated in law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, that is, Hacienda, and it was so provided in Article 2 of Decreto N° 21,996, by which the Regulation to Law No. 7,302 was issued, when stating: "The special contributory regimes subject to the General Pension Regime in accordance with Article 1 of Law No. 7,302 are the following: ... f) Hacienda 148 and other employees. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943." Consequently, in accordance with that first article of the law, henceforth, the pensions granted based on that special regime had to be adjusted to the new general regime.
Now, in Article 4 of this Law No. 7,302, it was provided:
"ARTICLE 4.- The right to qualify for retirement (jubilación) shall be held by:
"Those persons who, upon the entry into force of this Law, meet the requirements to acquire the right to a pension, prescribed by any of the special regimes affected in this Law, shall retain their right to retire under the protection of that special regulation." Said law (7,302), entered into force upon its publication, on July 15, 1992. At that time, Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, required, in order to retire, thirty years of service and over fifty years of age, for a full pension; and, for a proportional one, it was required to have served for more than ten years (Articles 1 and 13). In the case of the plaintiff, as of July 15, 1992, the effective date of Law 7,302, she already met the requirements to enjoy a proportional pension (she was 51 years old and had 17 years of service), which is why this transitory provision is applicable to her. Consequently, the plaintiff does have the right to be granted a proportional pension from the special Hacienda regime, based on the time served.
**V-. ON COSTS:** The Chamber considers that the matter must be resolved without a special award of costs (costas); as it is deemed that numeral 222 of the Código Procesal Civil is applicable, given that it is a complex matter, where the norms are not easily applied and because both administrative and judicial criteria have not been stable. Therefore, the legal position of the State's representation, during the course of the proceeding, is deemed to be in good faith.
**VI-. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS:** In accordance with what has been considered, it is deemed appropriate to reverse the appealed judgment and, in its place, to grant the lawsuit filed by Mrs. [Nombre1], regarding the requested pension; the State must be ordered to grant her a proportional pension from the hacienda regime, from the moment she ceases to work, and resolved without a special award of costs, for the reasons indicated.
**POR TANTO:** The appealed judgment is reversed. In its place, the lawsuit filed by Mrs. [Nombre1] is granted, and the State is ordered to grant her a proportional pension from the hacienda regime, from the moment she ceases to work. It is resolved without a special award of costs.
Orlando Aguirre Gómez Zarela María Villanueva Monge Bernardo van der Laat Echeverría Julia Varela Araya Rolando Vega Robert dhv **III. CONCERNING THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT TO BELONG TO THE PENSION DE HACIENDA (TREASURY PENSION) REGIME:** Having analyzed the offices where the plaintiff rendered her services, it is clear that she could have entered the Pension de Hacienda Regime. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, originally, in Article 13, established: *"The provisions of this law shall also apply* ***to the officials and employees of the Constitutional Congress*** *and those of the Control Center, with respect to services rendered in agencies or for prior services in other functions. In these cases, final knowledge thereof shall be the authority of the Directorate of the Congress."* This numeral 13 underwent various modifications, in the form and order set forth in vote of this Chamber No. 622 of 9:50 a.m. on December 11, 2002. By Law No. 2.417, of September 14, 1959 (article 1), it was modified in the following sense: *"* ***The officials or employees of the*** ***Asamblea Legislativa*** *, of the Contraloría General de la República and of the former Control Center, may request their retirement with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age. When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. In the case of deputies, the pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years. Years served as a deputy to the Asamblea Legislativa shall be counted toward those served in the Public Administration."* Subsequently, with Law No. 2.493 of May 11, 1960 (article 1), the following paragraph was added: *"This pension regime shall be optional for Deputies. Consequently, they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obligated to contribute financially to it, when they inform the Directorate of the Asamblea Legislativa that they do not wish to belong to that regime. The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the Tesorería Nacional, so that in those cases the deduction indicated in this same law is not made."* In 1974, by Law No. 5.664, of December 27, 1974 (Article 9), the following paragraph was added: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes protected by this Regime who are older than seventy years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month."* By Law No. 5.696 of May 14, 1975 (Article 14), it was amended as follows: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes protected by this regime who are older than sixty-five years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month."* In Article 9, of Law No. 5.875, of December 26, 1975, it was again modified: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes protected by this Regime who are older than sixty-five years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* Then, it was again amended by Law No. 6.025, of December 20, 1976 (Article 9): *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes protected by this Regime who are older than sixty years of age shall have the right to a pension of no less than two thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* Later, it was also amended by Law No. 6.191, of December 12, 1977, (Article 9), in the following sense: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes, protected by this Regime who are older than sixty years of age or their widows, shall have the right to a pension of no less than three thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* By Article 20 of Law No. 6.256, of April 28, 1978, it was again modified, adding a new paragraph, which provided: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes not protected by other pension regimes, who meet the indicated requirements, may likewise avail themselves of the rights established in this article."* In that same year it was amended, adding a new paragraph, by Article 9 of Law No. 6.305, of December 21 (1978), in the following sense: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes, protected by this regime who are older than sixty years of age or their widows, shall have the right to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* By Law 6.406, of December 17, 1979 (Article 9), it was again modified: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes, covered by this regime or their widows, shall have the right to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with decorum."* By means of Law No. 6.542, of December 22, 1980 (Article 9), said Article 13 was modified as follows: *"Former members of the Supremos Poderes or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall have the right to a pension of no less than ¢ 6,000.00 (six thousand colones). Those former members of the Supremos Poderes, including vice-presidents and their surviving spouses as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the term for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age in case of need, shall also have the right to a pension no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in No. 3,808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministerio de Hacienda is authorized to vary budget allocations to cover the obligations arising from this provision. The Departamento Nacional de Pensiones of the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social must, ex officio in the payrolls, make the necessary adjustments to adapt them to the provisions of this rule."* It was again modified by Law No. 6.700. of December 23, 1981 (Article 9), providing: *"The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is amended, so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:* *\"Article 13.- Former members of the Supremos Poderes or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall have the right to a pension of no less than ¢ 8,000.00 (eight thousand colones). Those former members of the Supremos Poderes, including vice-presidents and their surviving spouses, as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the term for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age, shall also have the right to a pension no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in article 10 of this law and in law number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministerio de Hacienda is authorized to vary budget allocations to cover the obligations arising from this provision. The Departamento Nacional de Pensiones of the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social must, ex officio in the payrolls, make the necessary adjustments to adapt them to the provisions of this rule\". A final paragraph is added to Article 13 of Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its amendments, which shall read: \"This rule modifies the laws, articles and subparagraphs that oppose it.\""* By Law No. 6.811, of September 10, 1982 (Article 8, rule 183), it was modified in the following sense: *"The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is amended so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:* *Article 13: Former ministers of the Supremos Poderes or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall have the right to a pension of no less than ten thousand colones (¢ 10,000). Those former ministers of the Supremos Poderes, including vice-presidents and their surviving spouses, as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the term for which they were elected; or under sixty years of age, shall also have the right to a pension no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in article 10 of this law and in law number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministerio de Hacienda is authorized to vary budget allocations, in order to cover the obligations arising from this rule. The Departamento Nacional de Pensiones of the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social must, ex officio, make the necessary adjustments to adapt them to the provisions of this rule."* Then, an attempt was again made to amend it, by Law No. 6.831, of December 23, 1982 (Article 54); however, with respect to that and other provisions, the law was returned without the corresponding sanction of the Poder Ejecutivo.
By Law No. 6,914, of November 28, 1983 (Article 10), it was again amended, as follows: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"Article 13.-The employees and officials of the Asamblea Legislativa (Legislative Assembly) and of the Contraloría General de la República (Comptroller General of the Republic), and those who provide their services in dependencies and institutions of the State, who have the right to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement (jubilación), with the right to receive a pension (pensión) equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age.
When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime (régimen de pensiones) shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be covered by its benefits nor obligated to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they notify in writing the Board of Directors of the Asamblea Legislativa that they do not wish to belong to the regime.
The Board of Directors shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.
In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.
The years served as deputies shall be computed together with the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can thus be demonstrated.
The former members of the supreme branches of government, including the vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not covered by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement of no less than ten thousand colones per month. The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials shall have the same right.
The pension of former deputies shall be increased each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to the years of service and, in no case, may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diem allowances (dietas) or salaries that a deputy earns monthly, for committee and plenary sessions of the Asamblea Legislativa.
The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions:
Transitory Provision: The increase in the pensions of former deputies, referred to in the fourth paragraph of this Article 13, shall be recognized in its entirety starting from the month of January 1983.
The Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance) is authorized to vary the corresponding budget items, in order to cover the obligations established herein.
The Departamento Nacional de Pensiones (National Department of Pensions) of the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (Ministry of Labor and Social Security) must make, ex officio, the necessary adjustments in the corresponding payrolls to retirements and pensions already granted, to adapt them to the provisions of this law."</span><span>By Law No. 6,963, of July 30, 1984 (Article 46), it was modified as follows: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"Article 46. The 5th paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda (Treasury Pensions Law) No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its reforms, reformed by Article 10 of Law No. 6914, is hereby amended as follows: The former members of the supreme branches of government, including the vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not covered by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of 10 years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement of no less than 10 thousand colones per month. The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials and the unmarried or disabled daughters shall have the same right."</span><span> Subsequently, it underwent a new change, through Law No. 6,995 (Article 123), of July 22, 1985, which provided: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">Article 123.- The fifth paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1948 and its reforms, is hereby amended, the text of which shall read:</span><span> </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"The former members of the Supreme Branches of Government, including the vice presidents and vice ministers..." (The rest of the paragraph is the same). It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and former vice ministers also include those who held the positions of Secretario (Secretary) and Subsecretario de Estado (Undersecretary of State). Likewise, those persons who were given the rank of minister or vice minister."</span><span> It was also reformed by Law No. 7,007, of November 5, 1985 (Article 5), providing: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"Article 5º.- Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its reforms, is hereby modified, the text of which shall read:</span><span> </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"Article 13.-The employees and officials of the Asamblea Legislativa and of the Contraloría General de la República, and those who provide their services in dependencies and institutions of the State, who have the right to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age.
When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be covered by its benefits nor obligated to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they notify in writing the Board of Directors of the Asamblea Legislativa that they do not wish to belong to the regime.
The Board of Directors shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.
In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.
The years served as deputies shall be computed together with the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can thus be demonstrated.
The former members of the Supreme Branches of Government, including the vice presidents and vice ministers, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not covered by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement of no less than ten thousand colones per month.
It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and former vice ministers also include those who held the positions of Secretario and Subsecretario de Estado. Likewise, those persons who were given the rank of minister or vice minister.
The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials and the unmarried or disabled daughters shall have the same right.
The pension of former deputies retired under any of the pension regimes shall be increased each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to the years of service and, in no case, may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diem allowances or salaries that a deputy earns monthly, for committee and plenary sessions of the Asamblea Legislativa.
The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions:
The Ministerio de Hacienda shall transfer, to each regime, the sum necessary to cover the increase established by this law, for which it shall make the corresponding budgetary provisions."</span><span> Finally, it was reformed by Law No. 7,018, of December 13, 1985 (Article 14), in the following sense: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"38. The third paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its reforms, is hereby modified, the text of which shall read:</span><span> </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the best salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month."</span><span> Some of these reforms, specifically those introduced by Laws No. 6,191 of 1977 (Article 9), 6,542 of 1980 (Article 9), 6,700 of 1981 (Article 9), 6,811 of 1982 (Article 8, norm 183), and 7,018 of 1985 (Article 14, norms 37 and 38), were declared unconstitutional, through Voto No. 2,136, of 2:00 p.m. on October 23, 1991, ordering the nullity of those norms, without prejudice to acquired rights and further establishing the following: "</span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">Likewise, the effects of this declaration are dimensioned, in the sense that all those persons who had entered and contributed to the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda (Treasury Pension Regime) prior to the entry into force of Law No. 7013 of November 18, 1985, for having been permitted to do so by any of the budgetary norms that are declared null and that this law contemplates, shall have the right to remain in it. As for the servants who had entered the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda after the enactment of Law No. 7013 of November 18, 1985 and those who had done so in the communications pension regime, for having been permitted to do so by any of the norms that are annulled, they shall have the right to have the contributions they had paid transferred, upon their request, to the special retirement or pension regime that they indicate, provided they had contributed to it or had been legally empowered to do so, and if they had not done so in any, or had not been legally empowered to do so, they may continue contributing to the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (Costa Rican Social Security Fund), which must recognize the time served, and they shall have the right to demand the transfer of the corresponding contributions, in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions that govern it." </span><span>However, as was stated, the servants of the Asamblea Legislativa were covered by Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, from the moment of its enactment (Congreso Constitucional); referred to later as the servants of the Asamblea Legislativa in Law No. 2,417, of September 14, 1959. Therefore, the plaintiff was duly incorporated into this special regime, from the moment she effectively began contributing to it, in February 1987. </span><span style=\"font-weight:bold\">IV-. ON LAW No. 7,302 AND HOW IT DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT: </span><span>It is clear that the plaintiff was covered by the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda. Now, said regime was affected by Law No. 7,302, of July 8, 1992, published in La Gaceta No. 13 of July 15, 1992, and in force as of its publication, which is the Law for the Creation of the Régimen General de Pensiones (General Pension Regime) with charge to the National Budget, other Special Regimes, and Reform to Law No. 7,092 of April 21, 1988 and its Reforms, the Income Tax Law. Through the enactment of this law, the legislator sought to unify the different special pension regimes charged to the national budget. Therefore, Article 1 indicated: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"The Régimen General de Pensiones (General Pension Regime) is created with charge to the National Budget, </span><span style=\"font-weight:bold; font-style:italic\">to which, in the future, the granting of all retirements and pensions of the contributory regimes that are based on the provision of service to the State, originated prior to the entry into force of this Law and whose payment is charged to the National Budget, shall conform</span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">. For officials who enter to serve the State after the entry into force of this Law, the provisions of Article 38 shall apply." </span><span>Among the regimes contemplated in that Article 1 was the one provided for in Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, that is, the Treasury regime (de Hacienda), and this was provided in Article 2 of Decreto No. 21,996, by which the Regulation to Law No. 7,302 was issued, stating: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"The special contributory regimes subject to the Régimen General de Pensiones in accordance with Article 1 of Law No. 7,302 are the following: ... f) Hacienda 148 and other employees. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943." </span><span>Consequently, in accordance with that first article of the law, in the future, pensions granted based on that special regime had to conform to the new general regime. Now, Article 4 of this Law No. 7,302 provided: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"ARTICLE 4.- The following shall have the right to avail themselves of retirement:</span><span> </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">a) Servants who are at least sixty years of age, who have served the State and contributed to the special regime to which they belong for at least thirty years.</span><span> </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">b) Servants who are over sixty-five years of age and who have served and contributed to the special regime to which they belong for more than twenty years.</span><span> </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">c) The worker who meets the legal requirements to opt for retirement must enjoy freedom to exercise that right. Intimations, discriminations, or any other form of pressure or harassment to force the worker to retire mandatorily for exclusive reasons of age are expressly prohibited. </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">(Thus added by Article 70 of Law No. 7935 of October 25, 1999)."</span><span>Thus, in principle, under this new regime, the plaintiff would be entitled to the pension she claims, if she were sixty years of age and had thirty years of service and contributions, or, if she were over sixty-five years old, provided she had served and contributed for more than twenty years in one of the special regimes; requirements which she does not meet. However, in the final chapter, referring to the Final Provisions (Chapter IX), a series of transitory norms were introduced that favorably affect the plaintiff's right. Thus, Transitory Provision II established: </span><span style=\"font-style:italic\">"Those persons who, upon the entry into force of this Law, meet the requirements to acquire the right to a pension, prescribed by any of the special regimes affected in this Law, shall retain their right to retire under that special regulation."</span><span> Said law (7,302), entered into force upon its publication, on July 15, 1992. At that time, Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943 required, to be able to retire, thirty years of service and over fifty years of age, for a full pension; and, for a proportional one, it was required to have served more than ten years (Articles 1 and 13). In the case of the plaintiff, as of July 15, 1992, the effective date of Law 7,302, she already met the requirements to enjoy a proportional pension (she was 51 years of age and had 17 years of service), for which reason this Transitory Provision applies to her. Consequently, the plaintiff does have the right to be granted a pension from the special Treasury regime (régimen especial de Hacienda), proportional to the time served."</span></p></div></body></html>" San José, at fourteen hundred thirty minutes on the twenty-seventh of August of two thousand four.* Ordinary proceeding filed before the Labor Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José, by **[Name1]**, single, secretary, against **THE STATE,** represented by its Deputy Attorney General, attorney Luz Marina Gutiérrez Porras, single. Acting as special judicial attorney-in-fact for the plaintiff is attorney Rafael Ángel Guzmán Alfaro, married, the latter two being attorneys. All of legal age and residents of San José.* **WHEREAS:** **1.-** The plaintiff, in a brief dated December ninth, nineteen ninety-nine, brought this action so that, in judgment, the defendant be ordered to grant her a pension from the Hacienda Regime under the terms of Ley 7302 of July eighth, nineteen ninety-two, and to pay both costs of this action.* **2.-** The State's legal representative answered the action in the terms indicated in the brief dated June thirteenth of the year two thousand and raised the defenses of lack of right and lack of active and passive standing (falta de legitimación ad causam activa y pasiva).* **3.-** The judge, attorney Ignacio Saborío Crespo, by judgment at fifteen hundred two hours on December ninth of two thousand two, **ordered:** “In accordance with the foregoing and the legal and jurisprudential citations invoked, the pension claim of **[Name1]** against **THE STATE** is hereby **DECLARED WITHOUT MERIT** in all its aspects, the defenses of lack of right and lack of active and passive standing raised by the State's representative are upheld, and the dispute is resolved without special award of costs. The parties are advised that this judgment admits the appeal (recurso de apelación), which must be filed before this Court within a period of three days. Within that same period and before this judicial body, the grounds of fact or law on which the appealing party bases its disagreement must also be stated, either verbally or in writing; under warning of declaring the appeal inadmissible (articles 500 and 501 subsections c) and d) of the Código de Trabajo; Votos of the Sala Constitucional Number 5798, at 16:21 hours, on August 11, 1998 and 1306 at 16:27 hours on February 23, 1999 and Voto of the Sala Segunda Number 386, at 14:20 hours, on December 10, 1999).”* **4.-** The plaintiff's attorney-in-fact appealed and the Labor Tribunal, First Section of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José, composed of attorneys Luis Fernando Salazar Alvarado, Mayita Ramón Barquero, and Guillermo Bonilla Vindas, by judgment at ten thirty-five hours on February twenty-seventh of the current year, **resolved:** “It is declared that no defects or omissions that could cause nullity or defenselessness to the parties are noted in the proceeding. The appealed ruling is upheld.”.
**5.-** The attorney-in-fact for the plaintiff filed an appeal (recurso) before this Chamber, in a brief dated May eighteenth of the current year, which is based on the reasons that will be stated below in the recitals section.* **6.-** The prescriptions of law have been observed in the proceedings.* **Magistrate van der Laat Echeverría writes the opinion; and,** **WHEREAS:** **I-.** The special judicial attorney-in-fact for the plaintiff challenges judgment No. 116, handed down at 10:35 hours on February 27, 2004, by the first section of the Labor Tribunal of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José. He alleges that his client was covered by the Hacienda Pension Regime when she began contributing to it in May 1983. He indicates that Law No. 7007 of November 5, 1985 (which was never declared unconstitutional) reformed article 13 of Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, establishing 50 years of age and 10 years of service as requirements to enjoy a proportional pension. The plaintiff was born on May 26, 1941, so by May 26, 1991, she was already 50 years old and had more than 10 years of service, that being the date on which she acquired the right, before Law No. 7302 of July 8, 1992, came into effect. Consequently, he requests that the appealed ruling be reversed and that his client be granted a proportional pension from the Hacienda Regime.* **II-.BACKGROUND:** Mrs. [Name1] was born on May 26, 1941 (folio 132). She worked at Radiográfica Costarricense S.A. from September 9, 1965, to December 14, 1973, during which time she contributed to the Disability, Old Age, and Death Regime of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (folios 125 and 127). As of May 2, 1983, she works in the Legislative Assembly. From that date and until the first half of February 1987, she contributed to the Disability, Old Age, and Death Regime, and as of the second half of February 1987, she contributes to the Hacienda Regime (folios 18 and 58-64). Because her application for a pension from this latter regime was rejected at the administrative level (see administrative file at folios 39-148), she filed this claim, which is based on Law No. 148 and its reforms—especially those introduced by Laws 7013 and 7302—as well as on article 29 of ILO Convention No. 102. These claims were opposed with the defenses of lack of right and lack of active and passive standing. The lower court (a quo) rejected the claim, upheld the defenses raised, and ruled without special award of costs, considering that the plaintiff had litigated in good faith. In its opinion, Mrs. [Name1] did not manage to complete the requirements to retire before May 19, 1993, the date on which the deadline for the scaling of effects of the declaration of unconstitutionality of Law No. 7013 expired. The Tribunal confirmed the ruling thus made, but for different reasons: the Legislative Assembly was covered by the Hacienda Regime under the original Law No. 148, so the plaintiff was protected by it from the time she began contributing to it. However, Law 148 was affected by Law No. 7302, whose article 4 set the new requirements for retirement: 60 years of age and 30 years of contribution to the special regime, or 65 years of age and 20 years of contribution, requirements that the plaintiff does not meet, and Transitory Provision III of said law is not applicable to her because that norm refers to the full pension and not the proportional one as the plaintiff seeks.* **III-.THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT OF BELONGING TO THE HACIENDA PENSION REGIME:** Having analyzed the offices where the plaintiff rendered her services, it is clear that she could indeed enter the Hacienda Pension Regime. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, originally, in article 13, established: *“The provisions of this law shall also apply **to the officials and employees of the Constitutional Congress** and those of the Control Center, with respect to services rendered in agencies or for previous services in other functions. In these cases, the final decision shall be the purview of the Directorate of Congress.”* This numeral 13 underwent various modifications, in the form and order set forth in this Chamber's Voto No. 622 at 9:50 hours on December 11, 2002. Through Law number 2,417, of September 14, 1959 (article 1), it was modified as follows:* *“**The officials or employees of the** <u>Legislative Assembly</u>, of the General Comptrollership of the Republic, and of the former Control Center, may request their retirement with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age. When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. In the case of deputies, the pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years. The years served as a deputy to the Legislative Assembly shall be counted toward those served in the Public Administration.”* Subsequently, with Law number 2,493 of May 11, 1960 (article 1), the following paragraph was added to it:* *“This pension regime shall be optional for Deputies. Consequently, they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obligated to contribute economically to it, when they notify the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly that they do not wish to belong to this regime.”* The Board of Directors shall communicate those exclusions to the National Treasury, so that in those cases the deduction indicated in this same law is not made.\* \* \* \* In 1974, by Law No. 5,664, of December 27, 1974 (Article 9), the following paragraph was added: \* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this Regime who are over seventy years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month.”*\* *\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* By Law No. 5,696 of May 14, 1975 (Article 14), it was reformed as follows:\* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this regime who are over sixty-five years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month.”*\* *\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* In Article 9, of Law No. 5,875, of December 26, 1975, it was again amended:\* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this Regime who are over sixty-five years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with dignity.”*\* *\* \* Later, it was again reformed by Law No. 6,025, of December 20, 1976 (Article 9):\* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches protected by this Regime who are over sixty years of age shall be entitled to a pension of no less than two thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with dignity.”*\* *\* \* Later on it was also reformed by Law No. 6,191, of December 12, 1977, (Article 9), in the following sense: \* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches, protected by this Regime who are over sixty years of age or their widows, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than three thousand five hundred colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with dignity.”*\* *\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* By Article 20 of Law number 6,256, of April 28, 1978, it was again amended, adding a new paragraph, which provided:\* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches not protected by other pension regimes, who meet the indicated requirements, may also avail themselves of the rights established in this article.”*\* \* \* In that same year it was reformed, adding a new paragraph, by Article 9 of Law No. 6,305, of December 21 (1978), in the following sense:\* *“ Former members of the Supreme Branches, protected by this regime who are over sixty years of age or their widows, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with dignity.”*\* \* \* By Law 6,406, of December 17, 1979 (Article 9), it was again amended:\* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches, covered by this regime or their widows, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than five thousand colones per month, provided they do not have other income that allows them to live with dignity.”*\* *\* \* By Law No. 6,542, of December 22, 1980 (Article 9), said Article 13 was amended as follows:\* *“Former members of the Supreme Branches or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than ¢ 6,000.00 (six thousand colones). Those former members of the Supreme Branches, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the term for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age in case of need, shall also be entitled to a pension of no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in No. 3,808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary budget line items to cover the obligations deriving from this norm. The National Pensions Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must, ex officio on the payrolls, make the necessary adjustments to conform them to the provisions of this norm.”*\* *\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* It was again amended by Law number 6,700. of December 23, 1981 (Article 9), providing:\* *“The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is reformed, so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:*\* *\"Article 13.- Former members of the Supreme Branches or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than ¢ 8,000.00 (eight thousand colones). Those former members of the Supreme Branches, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses, as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the term for which they were elected, or under sixty years of age, shall also be entitled to a pension of no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary budget line items to cover the obligations deriving from this norm. The National Pensions Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must, ex officio on the payrolls, make the necessary adjustments to conform them to the provisions of this norm\". *\* *A final paragraph is added to Article 13 of Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943 and its reforms, which shall read: \"This norm amends the laws, articles, and clauses that oppose it.\" *\* *\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* By Law No. 6,811, of September 10, 1982 (Article 8, norm 183), it was amended in the following sense: \* *\* “The fourth paragraph of Article 13 of the same law is reformed so that the text of the fourth and fifth paragraphs reads:\* *Article 13: Former ministers of the Supreme Branches or their surviving spouses, protected by this regime, shall be entitled to a pension of no less than ten thousand colones (¢ 10,000). Those former ministers of the Supreme Branches, including vice presidents and their surviving spouses, as the case may be, over sixty years of age, not protected by this pension regime, who may or may not have fully completed the term for which they were elected; or under sixty years of age, shall also be entitled to a pension of no less than said amount. The pensions referred to in this paragraph shall not be subject to any kind of deductions, except those contemplated in Article 10 of this law and in Law number 3808 of November 22, 1966, as well as those relating to contributions to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the corresponding proportion, in the case of alimony. The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary budget line items in order to cover the obligations deriving from this norm. The National Pensions Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must, ex officio, make the necessary adjustments to conform them to the provisions of this norm.”*\* *\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* Later, an attempt was made to reform it again, by Law number 6,831, of December 23, 1982 (Article 54); however, with respect to that and other norms, the law was returned without the corresponding sanction of the Executive Branch. \* By Law No. 6,914, of November 28, 1983 (Article 10), it was again amended, in the following manner: \* *\"Article 13.- Employees and officials of the Legislative Assembly and of the Contraloría General de la República, and those who provide services in dependencies and institutions of the State, who are entitled to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age. *\* *When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, so they shall not be protected by its benefits nor obliged to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they communicate in writing to the Board of Directors of the Legislative Assembly that they do not wish to belong to the regime.*\* *The Board of Directors shall communicate those exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.*\* *In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.*\* *The years served as deputies shall be computed together with the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can thus be demonstrated.*\* *Former members of the supreme branches, including vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not protected by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement of no less than ten thousand colones per month.*\* The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials shall have the same right.
The pension of former deputies shall be increased each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to years of service, and in no case may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diem rates or salaries earned monthly by a deputy, for committee and plenary sessions of the Legislative Assembly.
The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions:
Transitory Provision: The increase in the pensions of former deputies, referred to in the fourth paragraph of this Article 13, shall be recognized in its entirety beginning in the month of January 1983.
The Ministry of Finance is authorized to vary the corresponding budget allocations in order to cover the obligations established herein.
The National Department of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security must, ex officio, make the necessary adjustments on the corresponding payrolls to the retirements and pensions already granted, to adapt them to the provisions of this law." By Law No. 6,963, of July 30, 1984 (Article 46), it was amended as follows:
"Article 46. The 5th paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda No. 148 of August 23, 19[43] and its amendments, reformed by Article 10 of Law number 6914, is amended as follows: Former members of the supreme branches of government, including vice presidents, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not covered by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of 10 years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement pension of not less than 10,000 colones per month. The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials and unmarried or disabled daughters shall have the same right." Subsequently, it underwent a new change, through Law No. 6,995 (Article 123), of July 22, 1985, where it was ordered:
Article 123.- The fifth paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1948, and its amendments, is hereby amended, the text of which shall read:
"Former members of the Supremos Poderes, including vice presidents and vice ministers..." (The rest of the paragraph remains the same). It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and former vice ministers are also those who held the positions of Secretary and Undersecretary of State. Likewise those persons who were given the rank of minister or vice minister." It was also amended by Law No. 7,007, of November 5, 1985 (Article 5), ordering:
"Article 5.- Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its amendments, is hereby modified, the text of which shall read:
"Article 13.- The employees and officials of the Legislative Assembly and the Comptroller General of the Republic, and those who provide their services in State dependencies and institutions, who have the right to avail themselves of the benefits of this law, may request their retirement, with the right to receive a pension equal to the average salary earned in the institution at the time of retirement, provided they have served more than thirty years and are over fifty years of age.
When they have served less than thirty years but more than ten, the pension shall be proportional to the number of years served. This pension regime shall be optional for deputies and former deputies, and therefore they shall not be covered by its benefits nor obligated to contribute financially to the respective fund, when they notify the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly in writing that they do not wish to belong to the regime.
The Directorate shall communicate these exclusions to the corresponding office, so that in those cases the deductions indicated in Article 10 of this law are not made.
In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement pension shall be equal to the average salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month.
The years served as deputies shall be computed in addition to the other years served in the Public Administration, so that a minimum of ten years of service can be demonstrated.
Former members of the Supremos Poderes, including vice presidents and vice ministers, may avail themselves of the rights established in this article, if they are not covered by other retirement regimes, provided they have served the Public Administration for a minimum of ten years and are over fifty years of age, in which case they shall be entitled to a retirement pension of not less than ten thousand colones per month.
It is authentically interpreted that former ministers and former vice ministers also include those who held the positions of Secretary and Undersecretary of State. Likewise those persons who were given the rank of minister or vice minister.
The surviving spouses of the aforementioned former officials and unmarried or disabled daughters shall have the same right.
The pension of former deputies retired under any of the pension regimes shall be increased each year by thirty percent over the amount of the pension they enjoy, without being subject to years of service, and in no case may the total amount of the pension be greater than the total remuneration of the per diem rates or salaries earned monthly by a deputy, for committee and plenary sessions of the Legislative Assembly.
The pensions referred to in this regime shall be subject to the following deductions:
The Ministry of Finance shall transfer, to each regime, the sum necessary for it to cover the increase established by this law, for which purpose it shall make the corresponding budgetary provisions." Finally, it was amended by Law number 7,018, of December 13, 1985 (Article 14), in the following sense:
"38. The third paragraph of Article 13 of the Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, No. 148 of August 23, 1943, and its amendments, is hereby modified, the text of which shall read:
In the case of deputies and former deputies, the retirement pension shall be equal to the best salary earned in the last five years, in the service of the Public Administration, and in no case may it be less than ten thousand colones per month." Some of these amendments, specifically those introduced by Laws numbers 6,191 of 1977 (Article 9), 6,542 of 1980 (Article 9), 6,700 of 1981 (Article 9), 6,811 of 1982 (Article 8, rule 183), and 7,018 of 1985 (Article 14, rules 37 and 38), were declared unconstitutional, through Voto 2,136, at 2:00 p.m. on October 23, 1991, ordering the annulment of those rules, without prejudice to acquired rights, and also establishing the following: "In the same manner, the effects of this declaration are dimensioned, in the sense that all those persons who had joined and contributed to the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda prior to the entry into force of Law # 7013 of November 18, 1985, because any of the budgetary rules that are declared null and that this law contemplates allowed it, shall have the right to remain in it. Regarding the servants who had joined the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda after the enactment of Law No. 7013 of November 18, 1985, and those who had done so in the communications pension regime, because any of the rules that are annulled allowed it, shall have the right for the quotas they had paid to be transferred, at their request, to the special regime of retirements or pensions that they indicate, provided they had contributed to it or had been legally empowered to do so, and if they had not done so in any, or had not been legally empowered to do so, they may continue contributing to the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social, which must recognize the time served and shall have the right to demand the transfer of the corresponding quotas, in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions that regulate it." However, as stated, the servants of the Legislative Assembly were covered by Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, from the moment of its enactment (Constitutional Congress); later referred to as the servants of the Legislative Assembly in Law number 2,417, of September 14, 1959. Therefore, the plaintiff was duly incorporated into this special regime, from the moment she effectively began contributing to it, in February 1987.
IV-. REGARDING LAW No. 7,302 AND HOW IT DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT: It is clear that the plaintiff was covered by the Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda. Now then, said regime was affected by Law No. 7,302, of July 8, 1992, published in La Gaceta No. 13 of July 15, 1992, and effective from its publication, which is the Law for the Creation of the General Pension Regime Charged to the National Budget, of Other Special Regimes, and the Amendment to Law No. 7,092 of April 21, 1988, and its Amendments, the Income Tax Law. Through the enactment of this law, the legislator sought to unify the different special pension regimes charged to the national budget. For that reason, in Article 1 it was indicated: "The General Pension Regime Charged to the National Budget is created, to which, henceforth, the granting of all retirements and pensions of the contributory regimes that have the provision of service to the State as their basis, originated prior to the entry into force of this Law, and whose payment is charged to the National Budget, shall conform. For officials who enter into service for the State after the entry into force of this Law, the provisions of Article 38 shall apply." Among the regimes contemplated in that Article 1 was the one provided for in Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943, that is, the Hacienda regime, and this was stipulated in Article 2 of Decree No. 21,996, whereby the Regulation to Law No. 7,302 was issued, indicating: "The special contributory regimes subject to the General Pension Regime in accordance with Article 1 of Law No. 7,302 are the following: ... f) Hacienda 148 and other employees. Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943." Consequently, in accordance with that first article of the law, henceforth, pensions granted based on that special regime had to conform to the new general regime. Now then, in Article 4 of this Law No. 7,302, it was provided:
"ARTICLE 4.- The following shall have the right to avail themselves of retirement:
7935 </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">of October 25, 1999).”</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> Thus, in principle, under that new regime, the plaintiff would be entitled to the pension she claims if she were sixty years old and had thirty years of service and contributions, or if she were over sixty-five years old, provided she had served and contributed for more than twenty years in one of the special regimes; requirements she does not meet.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> However, in the final chapter, concerning the Final Provisions (Chapter IX), a series of transitional rules were introduced that favorably affect the plaintiff's right.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> Thus, Transitory Provision II established:</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin:0pt 36.85pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic\">“Those persons who, upon the entry into force of</span><br /><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic\">this Law, meet the requirements to acquire the right to a pension,</span><br /><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-style:italic\">as stipulated by any of the special regimes affected in this Law, shall retain their right to retire under the protection of that special regulation.”</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">Said law (No. 7,302), entered into force upon its publication, on July 15, 1992.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> At that time, Law No. 148 of August 23, 1943 required, in order to be able to retire, thirty years of service and over fifty years of age, for a full pension; and, for a proportional one, it was required to have served more than ten years (Articles 1 and 13).</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> In the plaintiff's case, as of July 15, 1992, the effective date of Law 7,302, she already met the requirements to enjoy a proportional pension (she was 51 years old and had 17 years of service), which is why this transitory provision is applicable to her.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> Consequently, the plaintiff does have the right to be granted a pension from the special Hacienda regime, proportional to the time served.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold\">V-. ON COSTS: </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">The Chamber considers that it must be resolved without special condemnation in said expenses; since it is deemed that numeral 222 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Código Procesal Civil) is applicable, given that this is a complex matter, where the rules are not easy to apply and because both administrative and judicial criteria have not been stable. Consequently, the legal position of the State's representation, during the course of the proceeding, is considered to be in good faith.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold\">VI-.FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">In accordance with what has been considered, it is deemed appropriate to revoke the appealed ruling and, in its place, to grant the lawsuit filed by Mrs. [Nombre1]</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; -aw-import:spaces\">   </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">, regarding the requested pension; the State must be ordered to grant her a proportional pension from the hacienda regime, from the moment she ceases working, and to resolve without special condemnation in costs, for the reasons indicated.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:center; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold\">POR TANTO:</span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:35.4pt; text-align:justify; line-height:200%\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">The appealed judgment is revoked.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> In its place, the lawsuit filed by Mrs. [Nombre1]</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; -aw-import:spaces\">    </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\">is granted, and the State is ordered to grant her a proportional pension from the hacienda regime, from the moment she ceases working.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'\"> It is resolved without special condemnation in costs.</span><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold\">* </span><span style=\"font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'\">*</span></p><h2 style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Courier New'; color:#2f5496\">*</span></h2><h2 style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:'Courier New'; color:#2f5496\">*</span></h2><h2 style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Orlando Aguirre Gómez</span><span style=\"font-family:'Courier New'; color:#2f5496\">*</span></h2><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; display:none\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; display:none\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><h3 style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; color:#1f3763\">*</span></h3><h3 style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Zarela María Villanueva Monge</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"> Bernardo van der Laat Echeverría</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; color:#1f3763\">*</span></h3><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:195%; font-size:14pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">Julia Varela Araya</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> *</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">*</span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold\">Rolando Vega Robert</span><span style=\"line-height:195%; font-size:10pt\">*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold\">Exp: 99-003161-0166-LA</span><span>*</span></p><p style=\"margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Bookman Old Style'; font-weight:bold\">dhv</span></p></div></body></html>"
2004-00710 Res:* 2004-00710* SALA SEGUNDA DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, a las catorce horas treinta minutos del veintisiete de agosto del dos mil cuatro.* * * * * * * * * Proceso ordinario establecido ante el Juzgado de Trabajo del Segundo Circuito Judicial de San José, por [Nombre1] , soltera, secretaria, contra EL ESTADO, representado por su Procuradora Adjunta la licenciada Luz Marina Gutiérrez Porras, soltera. Actúa como apoderado especial judicial de la actora el licenciado Rafael Ángel Guzmán Alfaro, casado, estos dos últimos abogados. Todos mayores y vecinos de San José.* RESULTANDO:* * * * * * * * * 1.-* La actora, en escrito de fecha nueve de diciembre de mil novecientos noventa y nueve, promovió la presente acción para que en sentencia se condene a la parte demandada a otorgarle una pensión del Régimen de Hacienda en los términos de la Ley 7302 del ocho de julio de mil novecientos noventa y dos y a pagarle ambas costas de esta acción.* * * * * * * * * 2.- * La personera estatal contestó la acción en los términos que indica en el memorial de fecha trece de junio del año dos mil y opuso las excepciones de falta de derecho y falta de legitimación ad causam activa y pasiva.* * * * * * * * * 3.- * El juez, licenciado Ignacio Saborío Crespo, por sentencia de las quince horas dos minutos del nueve de diciembre del dos mil dos, dispuso:* “De conformidad con lo antes expuesto y citas legales y jurisprudenciales invocadas, se DECLARA SIN LUGAR en todos sus extremos la demanda de pensión de [Nombre1] contra EL ESTADO, se acogen las excepciones de falta de derecho y falta de legitimación ad causam activa y pasiva opuestas por la representante del Estado y se resuelve la litis sin especial condenatoria en costas. Se advierte a las partes que, esta sentencia admite el recurso de apelación, el cual deberá interponerse ante este Juzgado en el término de tres días. En ese mismo plazo y ante este órgano jurisdiccional también se deberán exponer, en forma verbal o escrita, los motivos de hecho o de derecho en que la parte recurrente apoya su inconformidad; bajo el apercibimiento de declarar inatendible el recurso (artículos 500 y 501 incisos c) y d) del Código de Trabajo; Votos de la Sala Constitucional Números 5798, de las 16:21 horas, del 11 de agosto 1998 y 1306 de las 16:27 horas del 23 de febrero de 1999 y Voto de la Sala Segunda Número 386, de las 14:20 horas, del 10 de diciembre de 1999)”.* * * * * * * * * 4.-* El apoderado de la parte actora apeló y el Tribunal de Trabajo, Sección Primera del Segundo Circuito Judicial de San José, integrado por los licenciados Luis Fernando Salazar Alvarado, Mayita Ramón Barquero y Guillermo Bonilla Vindas, por sentencia de las diez horas treinta y cinco minutos del veintisiete de febrero el año en curso, resolvió: Se declara, que en el procedimiento no se notan vicios u omisiones que puedan causar nulidad o indefensión a las partes. Se confirma el fallo impugnado.. * 5.- El apoderado de la accionante formula recurso, para ante esta Sala, en memorial fechado el dieciocho de mayo del año en curso,* el cual se fundamenta en las razones que de seguido se dirán en la parte considerativa.* * * * * * * * * 6.- En los procedimientos se han observado las prescripciones de ley.* * * * * * * * * Redacta el Magistrado van der Laat Echeverría; y,* CONSIDERANDO:* I-.* El apoderado especial judicial de la actora impugna la sentencia N. 116, dictada a las 10:35 horas del 27 de febrero del 2004, por la sección primera del Tribunal de Trabajo del Segundo Circuito Judicial de San José. Alega que su patrocinada quedó cobijada por el Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda cuando empezó a cotizar para él, en mayo de 1983. Indica que la Ley N. 7007 de 5 de noviembre de 1985 (la cual nunca fue declarada inconstitucional) reformó el artículo 13 de la Ley N. 148 de 23 de agosto de 1943, estableciendo como requisitos para gozar de una pensión proporcional 50 años de edad y 10 de servicio. La actora nació el 26 de mayo de 1941, por lo que al 26 de mayo de 1991 ya tenía 50 años de edad y más de 10 años de servicio, siendo esa la fecha en que adquirió el derecho, antes de entrar en vigencia la Ley N. 7302 de 8 de julio de 1992. Por consiguiente, solicita revocar el fallo recurrido y concederle a su representada una pensión proporcional del Régimen de Hacienda.* II-.ANTECEDENTES: Doña [Nombre1] nació el 26 de mayo de 1941 (folio 132). Laboró en Radiográfica Costarricense S.A. del 9 de setiembre de 1965 al 14 de diciembre de 1973, tiempo durante el cual cotizó para el Régimen de Invalidez, Vejez y Muerte de la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (folios 125 y 127). A partir del 2 de mayo de 1983 trabaja en la Asamblea Legislativa. Desde esa fecha y hasta la primera quincena de febrero de 1987 cotizó para el Régimen de Invalidez, Vejez y Muerte y a partir de la segunda quincena de febrero de 1987 lo hace para el Régimen de Hacienda (folios 18 y 58-64). En virtud de que en la sede administrativa se le rechazó su solicitud tendiente a que se le otorgara una pensión de ese último régimen (ver expediente administrativo a folios 39-148), interpuso esta demanda, la cual fundamenta en la Ley N. 148 y sus reformas -en especial las introducidas por las Leyes 7013 y 7302-, así como en el artículo 29 del Convenio N. 102 de la O.I.T. A dichas pretensiones se opusieron las excepciones de falta de derecho y falta de legitimación activa y pasiva. El * * a quo rechazó la demanda, acogió las excepciones planteadas y resolvió sin especial condenatoria en costas, por estimar que la actora había litigado de buena fe. En su criterio, doña [Nombre1] no logró completar los requisitos para pensionarse antes del 19 de mayo de 1993, fecha en que venció el plazo del dimensionamiento de efectos de la declaratoria de inconstitucionalidad de la Ley N. 7013. El Tribunal confirmó lo así resuelto, pero por razones distintas: la Asamblea Legislativa quedó cubierta por el Régimen de Hacienda por la Ley N. 148 original, por lo que la actora quedó amparada a éste desde que comenzó a cotizar para él. Sin embargo, la Ley 148 se vio afectada por la N. 7302, cuyo artículo 4 fijó los nuevos requisitos para jubilarse: 60 años de edad y 30 de cotización al régimen especial, o 65 años de edad y 20 de cotización, exigencias que la demandante no cumple, sin que le sea aplicable el Transitorio III de dicha ley por referirse dicha norma a la pensión total y no proporcional como lo pretende la accionante.* III-.DEL DERECHO DE PERTENENCIA DE LA ACCIONANTE AL RÉGIMEN DE PENSIONES DE HACIENDA:* Analizadas las dependencias donde la actora prestó sus servicios, está claro que sí pudo ingresar al Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda. La Ley N. 148 del 23 de agosto de 1943, originalmente, en el artículo 13, establecía: “Las disposiciones de esta ley se aplicarán también a los funcionarios y empleados del Congreso Constitucional y los del Centro de Control, en cuanto a los servicios prestados en dependencias o por servicios anteriores en otras funciones. En estos casos, será atribución del Directorio del Congreso su conocimiento definitivo.” Este numeral 13 fue sufriendo diversas modificaciones, en la forma y en el orden que se expuso en el voto de esta Sala N. 622 de las 9:50 horas del 11 de diciembre del 2002. Por la ley número 2.417, del 14 de setiembre de 1.959 (artículo 1°), se modificó en el siguiente sentido:* “Los funcionarios o empleados de la Asamblea Legislativa, de la Contraloría General de la República y del antiguo Centro de Control, podrán pedir su jubilación con derecho a recibir una pensión igual al sueldo promedio devengado en el momento de jubilarse, siempre que hayan servido más de treinta años y tengan más de cincuenta años de edad. Cuando hayan servido menos de treinta años pero más de diez, la pensión será proporcional al número de años servidos. En el caso de los diputados la pensión será igual al sueldo promedio devengado en los últimos cinco años. Los años desempeñados como diputado a la Asamblea Legislativa se computarán a los servidos a la Administración Pública.”* * * * * * * * * * * Posteriormente, con la ley número 2.493 del 11 de mayo de 1.960 (artículo 1°), se le adicionó el siguiente párrafo:* “Este régimen de pensiones será facultativo para los Diputados. En consecuencia, éstos no quedarán protegidos por sus beneficios ni obligados a contribuir económicamente para el mismo, cuando comuniquen al Directorio de la Asamblea Legislativa que no desean pertenecer a ese régimen. El Directorio comunicará a la Tesorería Nacional esas exclusiones, para que en esos casos no se haga la deducción señalada en esta misma ley.”* * * * * * * * * * * En 1.974, por la ley N° 5.664, del 27 de diciembre de 1.974 (artículo 9), se le adicionó el siguiente párrafo: * “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes protegidos por este Régimen que tengan una edad mayor de setenta años, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de dos mil colones mensuales.”* * * * * * * * * * * Por la ley N° 5.696 del 14 de mayo de 1.975 (artículo 14), se reformó así:* “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes protegidos por este régimen que tengan una edad mayor de sesenta y cinco años, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de dos mil colones mensuales.”* * * * * * * * * * * En el artículo 9, de la ley N° 5.875, del 26 de diciembre de 1.975, nuevamente se modificó:* “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes protegidos por este Régimen que tengan una edad mayor de sesenta y cinco años, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de dos mil colones mensuales, siempre que no dispongan de otros ingresos que les permitan vivir con decoro.”* * * Luego, nuevamente se reformó por la ley N° 6.025, del 20 de diciembre de 1.976 (artículo 9):* “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes protegidos por este Régimen que tengan una edad mayor de sesenta años, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de dos mil quinientos colones mensuales, siempre que no dispongan de otros ingresos que les permitan vivir con decoro.”* * * Más adelante también fue reformado mediante la ley N° 6.191, del 12 de diciembre de 1.977, (artículo 9), en el siguiente sentido: * “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, protegidos por este Régimen que tengan una edad mayor de sesenta años o sus viudas, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de tres mil quinientos colones mensuales, siempre que no dispongan de otros ingresos que les permitan vivir con decoro.”* * * * * * * * * * * Por el artículo 20 de la ley número 6.256, del 28 de abril de 1.978, nuevamente se modificó, agregándosele un nuevo párrafo, que disponía:* “Igualmente podrán acogerse a los derechos establecidos en este artículo los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes no protegidos por otros regímenes de pensión, que cumplan con los indicados requisitos.”* * * En ese mismo año fue reformado, adicionándosele un nuevo párrafo, mediante el artículo 9 de la ley N° 6.305, del 21 de diciembre (1.978), en el siguiente sentido:* “ Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, protegidos por este régimen que tengan una edad mayor de sesenta años o sus viudas, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de cinco mil colones mensuales, siempre que no dispongan de otros ingresos que les permitan vivir con decoro.”* * * Por la ley 6.406, del 17 de diciembre de 1.979 (artículo 9), nuevamente fue modificado:* “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, acogidos a este régimen o sus viudas, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de cinco mil colones mensuales, siempre que no dispongan de otros ingresos que les permitan vivir con decoro.”* * * Mediante la ley N° 6.542, del 22 de diciembre de 1.980 (artículo 9), dicho artículo 13 se modificó así:* “Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes o sus cónyuges sobrevivientes, protegidos por este régimen, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de ¢ 6.000,00 (seis mil colones). Aquellos ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, incluidos vicepresidentes y sus cónyuges sobrevivientes en su caso, mayores de sesenta años, no protegidos por este régimen de pensiones, que hubieren cumplido o no totalmente del período para el que fueron electos, o de menos de sesenta años en caso de necesidad, tendrán derecho también a una pensión no inferior a dicho monto. Las pensiones, a que se refiere ese párrafo, no estarán sujetas a ninguna clase de deducciones, excepto las contempladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley y en la N° 3.808 del 22 de noviembre de 1.966, así como las referentes a las cuotas para la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social y la proporción correspondiente, en caso de pensión alimenticia. Se autoriza al Ministerio de Hacienda, a variar las partidas de presupuesto, para cubrir las obligaciones que de esta norma se deriven. El Departamento Nacional de Pensiones del Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social deberá hacer, de oficio en las planillas, los reajustes necesarios para adecuarlas a lo dispuesto en la presente norma.”* * * * * * * * * * * Nuevamente fue modificado por la ley número 6.700. del 23 de diciembre de 1.981 (artículo 9), disponiéndose:* “Refórmase el párrafo cuarto del artículo 13 de la misma ley, de modo que el texto de los párrafos cuarto y quinto digan:* "Artículo 13.- Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes o sus cónyuges sobrevivientes, protegidos por este régimen, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de ¢ 8.000,00 (ocho mil colones). Aquellos ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, incluidos vicepresidentes y sus cónyuges, sobrevivientes en su caso mayores de sesenta años no protegidos por este régimen de pensiones, que hubiesen cumplido o no totalmente el período para el que fueron electos, o de menos de sesenta años tendrán derecho también a una pensión no inferior a dicho monto. Las pensiones, a que se refiere este párrafo, no estarán sujetas a ninguna clase de deducciones, excepto las contempladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley y en la ley número 3808 del 22 de noviembre de 1966, así como las referentes a las cuotas para la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social y la proporción correspondiente, en caso de pensión alimenticia. Se autoriza al Ministerio de Hacienda a variar las partidas de presupuesto, para cubrir las obligaciones que de esta norma se deriven. El Departamento Nacional de Pensiones del Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social deberá hacer, de oficio en las planillas, los reajustes necesarios para adecuarlas a lo dispuesto en la presente norma". * Agrégase un último párrafo al artículo 13 de la ley Nº 148 del 23 de agosto de 1943 y sus reformas, que dirá: "Esta norma modifica las leyes, artículos e incisos que se lo opongan." * * * * * * * * * * * Por la ley N° 6.811, del 10 de setiembre de 1.982 (artículo 8, norma 183), se modificó en el siguiente sentido: * * “Refórmase el párrafo cuarto del artículo 13 de la misma ley de modo que el texto de los párrafos cuarto y quinto digan:* Artículo 13: Los ex ministros de los Supremos Poderes o sus cónyuges sobrevivientes, protegidos por este régimen, tendrán derecho a una pensión no menor de diez mil colones (¢ 10.000). Aquellos ex ministros de los Supremos Poderes, incluidos los vice presidentes y sus cónyuges sobrevivientes, en su caso, mayores de sesenta años, no protegidos por este régimen de pensiones, que hubiesen cumplido o no totalmente el período para el que fueron electos; o de menos de sesenta años, también tendrán derecho a una pensión no inferior a dicho monto. Las pensiones a que se refiere este párrafo, no estarán sujetas a ninguna clase de deducciones, excepto las contempladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley y en la ley número 3808 del 22 de noviembre de 1966, así como las referentes a las cuotas para la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social y la proporción correspondiente, en caso de pensión alimenticia. Se autoriza al Ministerio de Hacienda para variar las partidas de presupuesto, a fin de cubrir las obligaciones de esta norma se deriven. El Departamento Nacional de Pensiones del Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social deberán hacer, de oficio, los reajustes necesarios para adecuarlas a lo dispuesto en la presente norma.”* * * * * * * * * * * Luego, trató nuevamente de reformarse, por la ley número 6.831, del 23 de diciembre de 1.982 (artículo 54); no obstante, en cuanto a esa y otras normas, la ley fue devuelta sin la correspondiente sanción del Poder Ejecutivo. * Por la ley N° 6.914, del 28 de noviembre de 1.983 (artículo 10), fue nuevamente modificado, de la siguiente manera: * "Artículo 13.-Los empleados y funcionarios de la Asamblea Legislativa y de la Contraloría General de la República, y los que presten sus servicios en dependencias e instituciones del Estado, que tengan derecho a acogerse a los beneficios de la presente ley, podrán pedir su jubilación, con derecho a recibir una pensión igual al sueldo promedio devengado en la institución al momento de jubilarse, siempre que hayan servido más de treinta años y tengan más de cincuenta años de edad. * Cuando hayan servido menos de treinta años pero más de diez, la pensión será proporcional al número de años servidos. Este régimen de pensiones será facultativo para los diputados y ex diputados, por lo que no quedarán protegidos por sus beneficios ni obligados a contribuir económicamente para el fondo respectivo, cuando comuniquen por escrito al Directorio de la Asamblea Legislativa que no desean pertenecer al régimen.* El Directorio comunicará a la oficina correspondiente esas exclusiones, para que en esos no se hagan las deducciones señaladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley.* En el caso de los diputados y ex diputados, la jubilación será igual al sueldo promedio devengado en los últimos cinco años, al servicio de la Administración Pública, y en ningún caso podrá ser menor de diez mil colones mensuales.* Los años desempeñados como diputados se computarán a los otros años servidos a la Administración Pública, para que así se puedan demostrar diez año de servicio como mínimo.* Los ex miembros de los supremos poderes, incluidos los vicepresidentes, podrán acogerse a los derechos establecidos en este artículo, si no están protegidos por otros regímenes de jubilación, siempre que hayan servido a la Administración Pública por un mínimo de diez años y tengan más de cincuenta años de edad, en cuyo caso tendrán derecho a una jubilación no menor de diez mil colones mensuales. Los cónyuges sobrevivientes de los mencionados ex funcionarios tendrán el mismo derecho.* La pensión de los ex diputados se incrementará cada año en un treinta por ciento sobre el monto de la pensión de que disfruten, sin sujeción a los años de servicio y, en ningún caso, el monto total de la pensión podrá ser mayor a la remuneración total de las dietas o salarios que devengue mensualmente un diputado, por concepto de sesiones de comisión y de plenario de la Asamblea Legislativa.* Las pensiones a que se refiere este régimen estarán sujetas a las siguientes deducciones: * a) Las contempladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley.* b) Las que indica la ley Nº 3808 del 22 de noviembre de 1966.* c) Las cuotas para la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.* ch) Las que indique el beneficiario de la pensión a la Oficina Técnica Mecanizada, y la proporción correspondiente en caso de pensión alimenticia.* Transitorio: El incremento de las pensiones de los ex diputados, a que se refiere el párrafo cuarto de este artículo 13, se reconocerá en su totalidad a partir del mes de enero de 1983.* Se autoriza al Ministerio de Hacienda para variar las partidas del presupuesto correspondiente, con el fin de cubrir las obligaciones aquí establecidas.* El Departamento Nacional de Pensiones del Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, deberá hacer de oficio, en las planillas correspondientes, los reajustes necesarios a las jubilaciones y pensiones ya otorgadas, para adecuarlas a lo dispuesto en la presente ley.”* * * * * * * * * * * Por la ley N° 6.963, del 30 de julio de 1.984 (artículo 46), fue variado así:* “Artículo 46. Refórmase el párrafo 5° del artículo 13 de la Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.94 y sus reformas, reformado por el artículo 10 de la ley número 6914 de la siguiente forma: Los ex miembros de los supremos poderes, incluidos los vicepresidentes podrán acogerse a los derechos establecidos en este artículo, si no están protegidos por otros regímenes de jubilación siempre que hayan servido a la Administración Pública por un mínimo de 10 años y tengan más de cincuenta años de edad, en cuyo caso tendrán derecho a una jubilación no menor de 10 mil colones mensuales. Los cónyuges sobrevivientes de los mencionados ex funcionarios y las hijas no casadas o inválidas tendrán el mismo derecho.”* * * * * * * * * * * Luego, sufrió un nuevo cambio, mediante la ley N° 6.995 (artículo 123), del 22 de julio de 1.985, donde se dispuso: * Artículo 123.- Refórmase el párrafo quinto del artículo 13 de la ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, Nº 148 del 23 de agosto de 1948 y sus reformas, cuyo texto dirá:* "Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, incluidos los vicepresidentes y viceministros..." (El resto del párrafo igual). Se interpreta auténticamente que los ex ministros y los ex viceministros también son aquellos que ocuparon cargos de Secretario y Subsecretario de Estado. Asimismo aquellas personas a quienes se les dio el rango de ministro o viceministro."* * * Fue reformado también por la ley N° 7.007, del 5 de noviembre de 1.985 (artículo 5), disponiéndose: * “Artículo 5º.- Modifícase el artículo 13 de la Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, Nº 148 de 23 de agosto de 1943 y sus reformas, cuyo texto dirá: * "Artículo 13.-Los empleados y funcionarios de la Asamblea Legislativa y de la Contraloría General de la República, y los que presten sus servicios en dependencias e instituciones del Estado, que tengan derecho a acogerse a los beneficios de la presente ley, podrán pedir su jubilación, con derecho a recibir una pensión igual al sueldo promedio devengado en la institución al momento de jubilarse, siempre que hayan servido más de treinta años y tengan más de cincuenta años de edad. * Cuando hayan servido menos de treinta años pero más de diez, la pensión será proporcional al número de años servidos. Este régimen de pensiones será facultativo para los diputados y ex diputados, por lo que no quedarán protegidos por sus beneficios ni obligados a contribuir económicamente para el fondo respectivo, cuando comuniquen por escrito al Directorio de la Asamblea Legislativa que no se desean pertenecer al régimen.* El Directorio comunicará a la oficina correspondiente esas exclusiones, para que en esos casos no se hagan las deducciones señaladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley.* En el caso de los diputados y ex diputados, la jubilación será igual al sueldo promedio devengado en los últimos cinco años, al servicio de la Administración Pública, y en ningún caso podrá ser menor de diez mil colones mensuales.* Los años desempeñados como diputados se computarán a los otros años servidos a la Administración Pública, para que así se puedan demostrar diez años de servicio como mínimo. * Los ex miembros de los Supremos Poderes, incluidos los vicepresidentes y viceministros podrán acogerse a los derechos establecidos en este artículo, si no están protegidos por otros regímenes de jubilación, siempre que hayan servido a la Administración Pública por un mínimo de diez años y tengan más de cincuenta años de edad, en cuyo caso tendrán derecho a una jubilación no menor de diez mil colones mensuales.* Se interpreta auténticamente que los ex ministros y los * * * * * * * * * * * ex viceministros también son aquellos que ocuparon cargos de Secretario y Subsecretario de Estado. Asimismo aquellas personas a quienes se les dio el rango de ministro o viceministro.* Los cónyuges sobrevivientes de los mencionados ex funcionarios y las hijas no casadas o inválidas tendrán el mismo derecho.* La pensión de los ex diputados jubilados por cualquiera de los regímenes de pensiones se incrementará cada año en su treinta por ciento sobre el monto de la pensión de que disfruten, sin sujeción a los años de servicio y, en ningún caso, el monto total de la pensión podrá ser mayor a la remuneración total de las dietas o salarios que devengue mensualmente un diputado, por concepto de sesiones de comisión y de plenario de la Asamblea Legislativa.* Las pensiones a que se refiere este régimen estarán sujetas a las siguientes deducciones:* a) Las contempladas en el artículo 10 de esta ley.* b) Las que indica la ley Nº 3808 del 22 de noviembre de 1966.* c) Las cuotas para la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.* ch) Las que indique el beneficiario de la pensión de la Oficina Técnica Mecanizada, y la proporción correspondiente en caso de pensión alimenticia.* El Ministerio de Hacienda girará, a cada régimen, la suma necesaria para que pueda cubrir el incremento fijado por esta ley, para lo cual hará las previsiones presupuestarias correspondientes".* * * Finalmente fue reformado por la ley número 7.018, del 13 de diciembre de 1.985 (artículo 14), en el siguiente sentido:* “38. Modifícase el párrafo tercero del artículo13 de la Ley de Pensiones de Hacienda, N° 148 el 23 de agosto de 1.943 y sus reformas, cuyo texto dirá:* En el caso de los diputados y ex diputados, la jubilación será igual al mejor sueldo devengado en los últimos cinco años, al servicio de la Administración Pública, y en ningún caso podrá ser menor de diez mil colones mensuales.” * * * * * * * * * * * Algunas de esas reformas, específicamente las introducidas por las leyes números 6.191 de 1.977 (artículo 9), 6.542 de 1.980 (artículo 9), 6.700 de 1.981 (artículo 9), 6.811 de 1.982 (artículo 8, norma 183) y 7.018 de 1.985 (artículo 14, normas 37 y 38), fueron declaradas inconstitucionales, mediante el voto número 2.136, de las 14:00 horas del 23 de octubre de 1.991, disponiéndose la nulidad de esas normas, sin perjuicio de los derechos adquiridos y estableciéndose, además, lo siguiente:* “De igual forma, se dimensionan los efectos de la presente declaratoria, en el sentido de que todas aquellas personas que hubieren ingresado y cotizado para el Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda con anterioridad a la entrada en vigencia de la Ley # 7013 de 18 de noviembre de 1985, por haberlo permitido así cualquiera de las normas presupuestarias que se declaran nulas y que esa ley contemple, tendrán derecho a permanecer en él. En cuanto a los servidores que hubieren ingresado al régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda con posterioridad a la promulgación de la Ley N° 7013 de 18 de noviembre de 1985 y aquellos que lo hubieran hecho en el de pensiones de comunicaciones, por haberlo permitido así cualquiera de las normas que se anulan, tendrán derecho a que las cuotas que hubieran pagado sean trasladadas, a su solicitud, al régimen especial de jubilaciones o pensiones que él indique, siempre que hubiese cotizado para él o hubiera estado legalmente facultado para hacerlo y si no lo hubiera hecho en ninguno, o no hubiese estado legalmente facultado para ello, podrá seguir cotizando para la Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social, la que deberá reconocerle el tiempo servido y tendrá derecho a exigir el traslado de las cuotas correspondientes, de acuerdo con las disposiciones legales y reglamentarias que lo regulan.” No obstante, como quedó expuesto, los servidores de la Asamblea Legislativa estaban cubiertos por la Ley N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.943, desde el momento de su promulgación (Congreso Constitucional); referidos luego como los servidores de la Asamblea Legislativa en la ley número 2.417, del 14 de setiembre de 1.959. Entonces, la actora quedó debidamente incorporada a este especial régimen, a partir del momento en que efectivamente comenzó a cotizar para él, en febrero de 1.987. * IV-. SOBRE LA LEY N° 7.302 Y DE CÓMO AFECTÓ DIRECTAMENTE EL DERECHO DE LA ACCIONANTE: Queda claro que la actora quedó amparada al Régimen de Pensiones de Hacienda. Ahora bien, dicho régimen se vio afectado por la Ley N° 7.302, del 8 de julio de 1.992, publicada en La Gaceta N° 13 del 15 de julio de 1.992 y vigente a partir de su publicación, que es la Ley de Creación del Régimen General de Pensiones con cargo al Presupuesto Nacional, de otros Regímenes Especiales y Reforma a la Ley N° 7.092 del 21 de abril de 1.988 y sus Reformas, Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta. Mediante la promulgación de esta ley, el legislador procuró unificar los distintos regímenes especiales de pensiones con cargo al presupuesto nacional. Por eso, en el artículo 1° se indicó: “Créase el Régimen General de Pensiones con cargo al Presupuesto Nacional, al cual se ajustará, en lo sucesivo, el otorgamiento de todas las jubilaciones y pensiones de los regímenes contributivos que tengan como base la prestación de servicio al Estado, originada con anterioridad a la entrada en vigencia de esta Ley y cuyo pago esté a cargo del Presupuesto Nacional. Para los funcionarios que ingresen a servir al Estado con posterioridad a la entrada en vigencia de esta Ley, se aplicará lo que dispone el artículo 38.” Dentro de los regímenes que se contemplaban en ese artículo 1° estaba el contemplado en la ley N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.943, sea el de Hacienda, y así se dispuso en el artículo 2 del Decreto N° 21.996, por el cual se dictó el Reglamento a ley N° 7.302, al indicarse: “Son regímenes especiales contributivos sometidos al Régimen General de Pensiones de acuerdo con el artículo 1 de la Ley N° 7.302, los siguientes: ... f) Hacienda 148 y otros empleados. Ley N° 148 de 23 de agosto de 1.943.” En consecuencia, de conformidad con ese artículo primero de la ley, en lo sucesivo, las pensiones concedidas con base en ese régimen especial, debían ajustarse al nuevo régimen general. Ahora bien, en el artículo 4 de esta Ley N° 7.302, se dispuso:* “ARTICULO 4.- Tendrán derecho a acogerse a la jubilación:* a) Los servidores que tengan al menos sesenta años de edad, que hayan servido al Estado y cotizado para el régimen especial al que pertenezcan al menos por treinta años.* b) Los servidores que tengan más de sesenta y cinco años de edad y que hayan servido y cotizado para el régimen especial al que pertenezcan por más de veinte años.* c) El trabajador que cumpla con los requisitos legales para optar por su jubilación, deberá gozar de libertad para ejercer ese derecho. Quedan prohibidas expresamente las intimaciones, discriminaciones o cualquier otra forma de presión u hostigamiento para que el trabajador se jubile en forma obligatoria por exclusivas razones de edad. (Así adicionado este inciso por el artículo 70 de la Ley No. 7935 * de 25 de octubre de 1999).”* * * * * * * * * * * Así, en principio, conforme a ese nuevo régimen, la actora tendría derecho a la pensión que reclama, si tuviera sesenta años de edad y treinta de servicio y de cotización, o bien, si tuviera más de sesenta y cinco años, siempre que hubiera servido y cotizado por más de veinte años en alguno de los regímenes especiales; requisitos que no cumple. No obstante, en el capítulo final, referido a las Disposiciones Finales (Capítulo IX), se introdujeron una serie de normas transitorias que afectan favorablemente el derecho de la actora. Así, en el Transitorio II se estableció:* “Aquellas personas que, a la entrada en vigencia de esta Ley, reúnan los requisitos para adquirir el derecho a la pensión, preceptuados por cualquiera de los regímenes especiales afectados en esta Ley, conservarán su derecho a pensionarse al amparo de esa normativa especial.”* * * Dicha ley (la 7.302), entró en vigencia a partir de su publicación, el día 15 de julio de 1.992. Para ese momento, la Ley N° 148 del 23 de agosto de 1.943 exigía, para poderse pensionar, treinta años de servicio y más de cincuenta de edad, para una pensión completa; y, para una proporcional, se requería haber servido más de diez años (artículos 1 y 13). En el caso de la actora, al 15 de julio de 1.992, fecha de vigencia de la ley 7.302, ya cumplía los requisitos para gozar de una pensión proporcional (tenía 51 años de edad y 17 años de servicio), razón por la cual le resulta aplicable este transitorio. Consecuentemente, la demandante sí tiene derecho a que se le conceda una pensión del régimen especial de Hacienda, proporcional al tiempo servido.* V-. SOBRE LAS COSTAS: * La Sala considera que ha de resolverse sin especial condena en esos gastos; pues, se estima que resulta de aplicación el numeral 222 del Código Procesal Civil, dado que se trata de un asunto complejo, donde las normas no resultan de fácil aplicación y porque los criterios tanto administrativos como judiciales no han sido estables. Por consiguiente, la posición jurídica de la representación del Estado, durante el transcurso del proceso, se estima de buena fe.* VI-.CONSIDERACIONES FINALES: De conformidad con lo considerado, se estima procedente revocar el fallo impugnado y, en su lugar, acoger la demanda incoada por la señora [Nombre1] , en cuanto a la pensión solicitada; debiéndose condenar al Estado a concederle una pensión proporcional del régimen de hacienda, a partir del momento en que deje de laborar y resolverse sin especial condenatoria en costas, por las razones indicadas.* POR TANTO:* Se revoca la sentencia recurrida. En su lugar, se acoge la demanda incoada por la señora [Nombre1] y se condena al Estado a concederle una pensión proporcional del régimen de hacienda, a partir del momento en que deje de laborar. Se resuelve sin especial condena en costas.* * * * * * Orlando Aguirre Gómez* * * * * * * * * Zarela María Villanueva Monge * Bernardo van der Laat Echeverría* * * * * * * * * Julia Varela Araya * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Rolando Vega Robert* dhv
Document not found. Documento no encontrado.