Mexico took a significant step toward reshaping its labor landscape after President Claudia Sheinbaum signed the Draft Reform Proposal for the Implementation of the 40-Hour Workweek, a bill that will now be sent to the Senate for discussion.
The bill establishes a gradual reduction of the workweek, beginning in January 2027 with a decrease from 48 to 46 hours, followed by annual reductions of two hours until reaching 40 hours per week in 2030. According to Sheinbaum, the reform will bring “greater productivity for companies” and improved conditions for workers.
During the announcement, delivered in her morning press conference, the President emphasized that employers will have ample time to adjust operations. “Companies will make the necessary adaptations to ensure that in 2027 the workweek is 46 hours, and so on, reducing it by two hours each year until 2030,” she explained.
Minister of Labor Marath Bolaños added that 2026 will function as an adaptation period once the reform is approved. This window, he said, will allow employers and workers to organize production processes in accordance with the new time availability.
Bolaños noted that reducing the standard workweek to 40 hours will grant workers more time for rest without affecting wages or benefits. He stressed that this measure not only supports worker well-being but also strengthens economic performance. “Reducing the workweek benefits workers, businesses, and the economy as a whole,” he said.
Citing data from Mexico’s National Survey of Occupation and Employment (ENOE), the Minister explained that more than 13.4 million workers currently are employed over 40 hours a week, making them direct beneficiaries of the reform.
The proposal introduces several key changes in overtime. Workers may voluntarily perform 9 to 12 hours of overtime per week; minors are strictly prohibited from working extra hours; and the Federal Labor Law now includes a maximum of four triple-pay overtime hours, a limit that previously did not exist.
Bolaños noted the health benefits associated with shorter workweeks, including reductions in fatigue and workplace accidents, improved balance between personal and professional life, decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, and better habits related to self-care, nutrition, physical activity, rest, and social interaction.
To ensure compliance, employers will be required to implement an electronic system to record working hours, while the Ministry of Labor will issue specific regulations to govern the registry.
If approved, Mexico will join a growing number of countries that have adopted reduced workweeks as a pathway toward higher productivity, improved well-being, and more equitable labor conditions.
Mexican Press Agency is part of ALMA, which is dedicated to news and information about Mexico and Mexicans in the United States and is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Focus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Redwood City, California.
