Overview
- The executive’s bill sent to Congress on December 3 would reduce the legal workweek for private-sector employees from 48 to 40 hours in steps from 2027 to 2030, add an electronic time registry, tighten overtime limits, and prohibit nominal wage cuts.
- The Frente Nacional por las 40 Horas condemned the proposal as a “fraud,” arguing it preserves only one rest day for each six worked and allows 12-hour shifts with extended overtime.
- Critics say the draft delays triple-rate overtime until after the fourth extra hour in a day or the twelfth in a week and replaces explicit sanction language, which they contend would weaken enforcement.
- Analyses note the reform amends Article 123(A) for private-sector workers and excludes public servants under 123(B), who would remain subject to a 48-hour cap.
- The initiative remains under congressional review as labor groups plan new mobilizations and employers gauge operational changes, with public commentary—from international comparisons to Elon Musk’s praise of long workweeks—fueling a wider debate.