Business
Mexico — Business: Hiring Employees
Mexico's Federal Labor Law was significantly amended in 2026. On 22 April 2026, the Chamber of Deputies approved a gradual workweek reduction from 48 hours to 40 hours by 1 January 2030 (46 hours in 2027, 44 in 2028, 42 in 2029), with wages/salaries/benefits protected from reduction as hours decrease; the overtime cap paid at double-rate rises from 9 to 12 hours/week. Effective January 2026, employers must provide regular workplace-violence-against-women prevention training, with fines of 29,000-586,000 MXN (~$1,626-32,850 USD) for noncompliance. The 'Ley Silla' (Chair Law), effective December 2025, requires employers in services/commerce to provide seating for standing employees. Employers must also implement an electronic time-recording system per STPS-issued rules.
Key facts
- Workweek reduction: 48hrs (2026) → 46 (2027) → 44 (2028) → 42 (2029) → 40 (2030), with wages protected.
- Overtime double-rate cap rises from 9 to 12 hours/week under the 2026 reform.
- From January 2026: mandatory workplace-violence-prevention training; fines 29,000-586,000 MXN for noncompliance.
- Ley Silla (effective Dec 2025): mandatory seating for standing employees in services/commerce sectors.
- New mandatory electronic time-recording system requirement (STPS to define scope/exceptions).
Costs
- Workplace-violence-training noncompliance fine: 29,000-586,000 MXN (~$1,626-32,850 USD)
Timelines
- Workweek reduction to 40 hours complete: 1 January 2030
- Workplace-violence training requirement effective: January 2026
- Ley Silla (Chair Law) effective: December 2025
Common mistakes
- Reducing wages proportionally to the phased workweek cuts — the 2026 reform explicitly prohibits reducing pay/benefits as hours decrease.
- Overlooking the new mandatory workplace-violence-prevention training, in effect since January 2026.