Unclear Guidelines Stall Mexico’s Ley Silla and Heighten Worker Safety Risks

Overview

• Ley Silla took effect on June 17 and grants a legal right to rest for workers standing more than three continuous hours, with a six-month adaptation period ending in December.
• July guidance from the Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social defined three allowed seating placements but left rest durations and chair material standards unspecified.
• A recent survey of Mexico City retail outlets found most employees still spend full shifts standing without new seating or scheduled rest breaks.
• Concanaco Servytur warns that undefined pause durations could reduce effective work time by up to 18.75%, intensifying productivity concerns for commerce and services.
• Occupational-safety experts warn that without ergonomic pilot tests and multidisciplinary assessments, superficial compliance and ill-fitting chairs could create trip, fire and health hazards.