Normative provisions based on COVID-19 in Nicaragua

NICARAGUA: APPROVED REGULATION

• MINISTRY OF LABOR / FREE TRADE ZONES COMISSION
• MINISTRY OF HEALTH / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CIVIL AERONAUTICS (INAC)
• SUPERINTENDENCY OF BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (SIBOF)
• NATIONAL MICROFINANCE COMMISSION (CONAMI) 

 

NICARAGUA: APPROVED REGULATION

  MINISTRY OF LABOR / FREE TRADE ZONES COMISSION Tripartite Labor Agreement to Address the National Emergency (March 24, 2020) – The Ministry of Labor, the National Free Trade Zone Commission and several representatives of the Free Zones in the country signed the agreement in which several recommendations of sanitary measures and some business practices allowed by the current legal system were discussed. – The agreement is only valid for companies within the Free Trade Zone Regime. Some of the permitted business practices that the agreement takes up are:

1. Granting work permits with a percentage of salary benefits;
2. Grant advances from vacation days;
3. Reduce working hours;
4. Telework;
5. Temporarily suspend employment contracts;
6. Pension advances, food packages, etc.

– The agreement provides that, in cases where the temporary suspension of the employment contract is to be invoked based on force majeure or fortuitous event, the labor inspectorates must process the applications within 48 hours. Circular for Free Trade Zone Companies  (19 de march de 2020) – The circular directs companies in Free Zone regime to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the different Health Centers near their respective facilities so that they know the action protocol managed by said Ministry to prevent and avoid massive infections, thus how to inform all staff of the measures to follow in case of suspicion or contagion. – Dr. Ramiro Blanco has been designated to coordinate communications with the Ministry of Health, his contact is [email protected]    MINISTRY OF HEALTH / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CIVIL AERONAUTICS (INAC) Ministerial Resolution MINSA Nº 346-2020. (July 13, 2020). Click here for more information.http://www.inac.gob.ni/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/RESOLUCION-MINISTERIAL-346-2020-MINSA.pdf – Description of the requirements to be met by persons attempting to enter Nicaraguan territory:

• Present a negative real-time PCR test result for COVID-19 performed no more than 72 hours before entry into the country.
• Non-national travelers with fever or respiratory symptoms will not be able to enter.
• National travelers with fever or respiratory symptoms may enter the country but must remain at home, complying with the protocol established in the country.
• Travelers that, upon arrival provide a negative test result and who do not have respiratory symptoms, may have free mobility in the country and will be monitored by telephone by health personnel for 14 days.

Resolution INAC Nº 016-2020. (July 13, 2020). Click here for more information.

• It is resolved that the State of Nicaragua and the International Airports Management Company (EAA) are ready to resume commercial air operations.
• Commercial operators are required to submit their program to deal with COVID-19 before they receive authorization to resume commercial operations.
• The requirements are issued for operators requesting passenger/humanitarian/repatriation charter flights.

Ministerial Resolution MINSA Nº 358-2020. (July 22, 2020). Click here for more information. – The requirements set out in Resolution No. 346-2020 of 13 July are reformed as follows:

• Present a negative real-time PCR test result for COVID-19 performed no more than 72 hours before entry to the country.
• If travelers come from Asia, Africa, or Oceania, the negative PCR test result must have been performed no more than 96 hours before entry into the country.
• Non-national travelers with fever or respiratory symptoms will not be able to enter.
• National travelers with fever or respiratory symptoms may enter the country but must remain at home, complying with the protocol established in the country.
• Travelers that upon arrival provide a negative test result and who do not have respiratory symptoms may have free mobility in the country and will be followed by telephone by health personnel for 14 days.

  SUPERINTENDENCY OF BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (SIBOF) Resolution Nº CD-SIBOIF-1181-1-JUN19-2020. (June 19, 2020). Click here for more information.

• Banks are empowered to make the contractual conditions signed by their customers more flexible in order to help debtors to comply with their payments. Temporary credit conditions may be established for debtors of credit cards, vehicle credits, payrolls, home mortgages, microcredits, SMEs, agricultural, livestock, and industrial and commercial accounts in all sectors of the economy.

  NATIONAL MICROFINANCE COMMISSION (CONAMI) Resolución CD-CONAMI-008-01MAY26-2020. (26 de mayo de 2020). Click here for more information.

• Microfinance is empowered to make the contractual conditions signed by their clients more flexible in order to help debtors to comply with their payments.

  We have a 24/7 service to address your legal queries related to the effects of COVID-19 in your company. Contact us through our Help Desk for immediate assistance at: [email protected]. Access to our Media Room for further information about legal aspects related to Coronavirus in Central America at this link.