Mexico Rewrote Its Constitution To Give Every Worker A Shorter Week And The Right To Log Off
Mexico has enacted the most sweeping overhaul of its labor laws in a generation, amending its constitution to guarantee every worker in the country a shorter working week, a legal right to disconnect from work after hours, and an explicit prohibition on any employer cutting pay in response. The amendment sets a gradual reduction of the maximum workweek from 48 to 40 hours by 2030, dropping by two hours each year starting in 2027, and passed Mexico's lower chamber with 411 votes in favor. A separate reform gives workers the legal right to ignore work-related calls, messages, and emails after their shift ends, including during vacations. Employers must publish internal rules ensuring compliance. The government estimates the change directly affects 13.5 million workers, with analysts suggesting more than double that number could eventually be covered. The no-pay-cut guarantee was a core demand during the legislative debate and was written directly into the constitutional text, not left to secondary legislation.
Mexico joins Chile and Ecuador in moving toward a 40-hour legal week across Latin America, part of a broader global movement accelerated by trials in Iceland, the UK, Germany, and Japan that have consistently found that reducing working hours does not reduce productivity and frequently improves it. The landmark UK trial found 92% of companies chose to keep the four-day week permanently, with sick days dropping 65% and staff turnover falling sharply. Mexico's reform does not mandate a four-day schedule but removes the legal barrier to it, creating the conditions for genuine work-life balance for millions of workers for the first time.
