Mexico has rewritten its constitution to cut the working week, ban after-hours contact between employers and workers, and guarantee no one takes a pay cut in the process — labor rights that most wealthy democracies have debated for years and delivered partially, if at all.
President Claudia Sheinbaum signed the amendment to Article 123 of Mexico’s constitution in March. The Federal Labor Law amendments implementing the reform entered force on May 1, 2026. Wages and benefits are constitutionally protected — employers cannot reduce either as hours fall.
The statutory maximum drops gradually, starting with 48 hours through the end of 2026, then 46 in 2027, 44 in 2028, 42 in 2029, reaching 40 hours on January 1, 2030.
Related: Mexico’s President Sheinbaum Decrees Universal Healthcare for 120 Million
The reform gives approximately 13.5 million workers the legal right to ignore calls, messages, and emails after their shift ends and during vacations. Overtime is restructured, with the first 12 hours per week pay at double rate, and anything beyond at triple. Hours are capped at four per day and four days per week. Workers under 18 are banned from overtime entirely. Mandatory electronic timekeeping applies to all employers from January 2027, with fines of approximately US$1,600 to US$32,500 for non-compliance.
The reform hits hardest in sectors still running 48-hour weeks — 61% of retail companies and 38% of industrial workplaces, against roughly 80% of offices already at 40 hours or fewer. Manufacturing, logistics, and tourism face the steepest adjustments.
Under the revised overtime structure, some workers stand to earn significantly more — government projections put potential income gains at up to 32% in high-overtime scenarios.
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