Mexico's 40-hour workweek and the transition through 2030

Plan for the annual changes

Start with each team's current weekly hours. For each reduction from 48 to 40 ordinary weekly hours, calculate the impact on staffing, payroll, overtime, and electronic timekeeping. Depending on your operation, maintaining coverage may require more employees, revised shifts, or overtime.

1. The maximum ordinary workweek decreases from 48 to 40 hours, by two hours each year, beginning 1 January 2027 and reaching 40 hours in 2030.
2. Protect wages, salaries, and benefits. The amendment expressly prohibits direct or indirect reductions in wages, salaries, or benefits because of the shorter workweek. Employees retain their pay and benefits as ordinary weekly hours decrease.
3. Overtime limits change during the transition. As the ordinary week shrinks, the permitted overtime allowance increases from 9 hours a week through 2027 to 12 hours in 2030, paid at premium rates. Combined ordinary and overtime hours may not exceed 12 hours in a day. Overtime may run no more than four hours a day, on no more than four days a week. Overtime for workers under 18 is prohibited.
4. Electronic time records and rest periods. From 1 January 2027, the reform introduces electronic records of employee start and end times. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare establishes the scope and exceptions. Continue providing one full paid rest day for every six days worked.

Build these requirements into your staffing plan, overtime budget, time records, and employee communications.

How the reform affects different operations

The workweek reduction is established in Mexico's Constitution and Federal Labor Law. The reform applies broadly to employment relationships covered by Mexico's Federal Labor Law, including labor-intensive operations. The reform establishes the same transition schedule across covered industries, with no separate transitional regimes for individual sectors. The staffing impact depends on current weekly hours and shift coverage. Operations already working 40 hours, or close to it, can focus on overtime limits and timekeeping requirements. Operations working 48 hours have the largest coverage change to plan for, especially in manufacturing, logistics, and continuous-shift operations. Calculate the additional coverage needed for each two-hour reduction. Then compare hiring, overtime, revised shifts, and productivity improvements. The constitutional amendment is in force. Covered operations begin reducing ordinary weekly hours on 1 January 2027, with further reductions each year through 2030.

Workweek limits from 2026 through 2030

The maximum ordinary workweek remains 48 hours through 2026. Beginning in 2027, it decreases by two hours each year until reaching 40 hours in 2030.

1. 2026: 48 hours. The constitutional amendment is in force and the Federal Labor Law is amended. The first reduction begins in 2027.
2. 2027: 46 hours. The first reduction takes effect 1 January 2027. Employers operating at 48 hours will need to cover two fewer ordinary hours per employee each week.
3. 2028: 44 hours. The second reduction leaves four fewer ordinary hours per week than in 2026.
4. 2029: 42 hours. The third reduction leaves six fewer ordinary hours per week than in 2026.
5. 2030: 40 hours. The maximum ordinary workweek is eight hours below the 2026 limit.

If your operation currently works 48 ordinary hours per week, plan for eight fewer ordinary hours per employee by 2030. Multiply those eight hours by the number of affected employees to estimate the weekly coverage change in 2030. Compare the cost of additional staffing, overtime, revised shifts, and productivity improvements before choosing how to maintain coverage.

Update overtime and timekeeping

The permitted weekly overtime allowance increases on a separate schedule as ordinary weekly hours decrease. Update each year's schedules for both ordinary weekly hours and the permitted overtime allowance. The Federal Labor Law applies double-time and triple-time overtime rates, along with daily and weekly limits. Combined ordinary and overtime hours may not exceed 12 in a day. By 2030, weekly overtime is capped at 12 hours. It may run no more than four hours a day on no more than four days a week. Overtime is also expressly prohibited for workers under 18. Electronic timekeeping requirements also begin on 1 January 2027. The reform requires an electronic record of each worker’s start and end times so inspectors can verify ordinary hours and overtime. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare sets its scope and any exceptions. Violations of the electronic timekeeping requirement carry fines of 250 to 5,000 Units of Measure and Update. Configure electronic records to show start times, end times, ordinary hours, and overtime for verification.

Budget for continued pay and benefits

Budget for continued wages, salaries, and benefits as ordinary weekly hours decrease. The amendment prohibits reductions in these amounts because of the shorter workweek. An employee who earns a weekly salary for a 48-hour week keeps that salary when the ordinary week decreases to 46 hours, then 44, and through the remaining reductions. The amendment also prohibits indirect reductions in wages, salaries, or benefits through schedule changes. Keep existing employee pay and benefits in your labor budget, then calculate the additional coverage costs as ordinary hours decrease. Tell employees when their schedules will change and explain how their wages, salaries, and benefits are protected. Compare the cost of additional staffing, overtime, and revised shifts while maintaining employee pay and benefits.

Plan the transition

• What should employers plan first? The first reduction begins 1 January 2027, with further reductions each year through 2030. Start by planning the 2027 staffing changes, then map the decisions needed for each following stage.
• How should employers budget for pay and coverage? Maintain employee wages, salaries, and benefits as ordinary hours decrease. Calculate additional coverage costs separately.
• Does the same schedule apply across industries? The reform was enacted without sector-specific transitional regimes. Labor-intensive and continuous-shift operations follow the same annual timetable as other covered employers.
• What timekeeping changes begin in 2027? The reform introduces electronic time records and changes overtime limits. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare establishes the scope and exceptions for electronic timekeeping. Prepare to record employee start and end times electronically in 2027. Include daily and weekly overtime limits when checking schedules. Use the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare's published rules when selecting or updating a timekeeping system.