Overview
- The Ministry of Labor published Decreto Supremo N.° 008-96-TR, presented on Monday, June 22, 2026, that explicitly makes any dismissal motivated by a cancer diagnosis, its treatment, or related effects legally null.
- The rule requires employers in the public and private sectors to adapt jobs through telework, flexible hours, changes in duties or workplace adjustments and to apply those measures without reducing pay.
- The MTPE cited Sunafil data showing about 36 cancer-related dismissals in 2025 and 30 so far in 2026 as the driving evidence behind the new regulation.
- The minister instructed Sunafil and the National Authority of Civil Service (Servir) to promote the rule, conduct workplace checks and verify compliance, but the decree’s impact will depend on how actively those agencies enforce it.
- Patients and advocates praised the measure for protecting job continuity and dignity during treatment, while key implementation questions remain about inspection speed, sanctions for violators and private-sector monitoring.