Overview
- The reform mandates a phased cut from 48 to 40 hours over five years with the first legal obligations set to begin January 1, 2027 and full transition by 2030.
- Experts say the rule that daily overtime cannot exceed four hours will be the main source of labor disputes and requires precise records of start times, breaks and end times.
- About 15.5 million formal workers will be affected and roughly 7.1 million of those work in small and medium-sized enterprises, which face steeper adjustment costs.
- Surveys and company reports show 72% of firms expect staff-availability problems, 70% plan to change shift distributions and 30% intend to hire extra workers to keep output steady.
- Retail is already running pilot programs to reorganize hours, and advisers warn delayed implementation of automated time controls will heighten legal and payroll risks for employers.