Overview
- The Labor Ministry plans to present the proposal to Congress in November, outlining a five-step schedule of 46, 44, 42, 41 and 40 hours, with a possible first cut on May 1, 2026.
- Officials say wages and existing labor rights will be preserved under the shift to a shorter week, including meal breaks.
- The Congress of Labor seeks pay equivalent to 56 hours and warns it could pursue collective amparos if the reform diminishes protections.
- Business groups request fiscal incentives to absorb transition costs, including changes to payroll taxes and full wage deductibility.
- EY advises firms to prepare for either hiring more staff or paying more overtime and notes research linking shorter weeks to better wellbeing, as INEGI reports Mexicans average 59.6 total weekly work hours with heavier burdens on women.