After 100 years without change, Mexico reduces working hours to 40 hours

The Mexican Chamber of Deputies approved, by 469 votes of the 500 parliamentarians and no votes against, the reduction of the working day from 48 hours to 40 hours per week. However, the decision increases the overtime limit and maintains the 6×1 scale, that is, six days of work and only one of rest.

Approved in the Senate, the measure comes into force next year and foresees a gradual reduction in working hours until 2030. The proposal was supported by president Claudia Sheinbaum.

She presented the proposal in December to benefit around 13.4 million workers.

Also read: Mexico approves reduction of working hours to 40 hours

“After more than 100 years without changes, Mexico will begin to gradually eliminate the 48-hour work week”, celebrates the Mexican Ministry of Labor in X.

“Productivity is not measured by exhaustion. It is built with dignity”, says government deputy Pedro Haces, who is also secretary general of the Autonomous Confederation of Workers and Employees of Mexico.

According to agencies, the government’s objective is to improve the balance between personal and professional life, in a country that has one of the highest workloads in the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

Currently, Mexico accumulates more than 2,226 hours worked per person per year, the worst work-life balance index among the 38 OECD member countries.