Mexico passes 40-hour workweek bill championed by President Sheinbaum

Lawmakers in Mexico voted unanimously to approve a sweeping labour overhaul that will gradually shorten the standard workweek, handing another policy win to the country’s governing leftist bloc.

The measure, championed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, will reduce the legal workweek from 48 hours to 40 hours over four years and guarantee workers one fully paid day off each week.

Business groups had warned that cutting hours could drive up labour costs and hurt productivity, while some opposition lawmakers argued the reform should go even further by mandating two days off weekly.

Under current rules, Mexican employees are not assured paid time off.

Bill receives overwhelming support

The proposal cleared the 500-seat lower chamber with 469 votes in favour and none against, with no abstentions. It had already received unanimous backing in the Senate earlier this month.

Sheinbaum first introduced the initiative in December, but debate was stalled for weeks amid lobbying from the private sector. The president has said the changes stand to benefit more than 13 million workers nationwide.

According to the legislation, the shift toward a 40-hour work week will begin in 2027, with the maximum schedule reduced by two hours each year until full implementation.

The reform builds on efforts by Sheinbaum and her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to strengthen labour protections, including curbs on outsourcing and expanded union rights.

Which other countries are aiming for 4-day work week?

With the new law, Mexico joins Chile and Colombia, both led by leftist governments, in trimming the legal workweek in recent years.

In Chile, outgoing President Gabriel Boric backed a reform approved in 2023 that lowers the workweek from 45 hours to 40 by 2028, marking a significant achievement for his administration after an unsuccessful attempt to pass a new constitution that also aimed to expand worker rights.

In Colombia, President Gustavo Petro oversaw a phased reduction from 48 hours to 42 without reducing pay or benefits. Colombians are set to vote in the first round of their next presidential election in May, and Petro’s term concludes in August.

Elsewhere in the region, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil is pursuing similar legislation to shorten working hours ahead of an anticipated reelection campaign in October. Advocates say the proposal would boost quality of life and expand job opportunities, while business leaders caution it could undermine competitiveness. A recent Nexus poll found that more than 60% of Brazilians support reducing the workweek.