This Monday, the plenary session of the House of Representatives resumed the debate on labor reform. Until now, it has given the green light to more than 30 of the 80 articles that make up the project of law promoted by the Petro government.
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Among the points endorsed throughout the day includes article 18, which introduces advances in terms of licenses for the country’s workers. This was approved, as stated in the presentation and with endorsed propositions, with 93 votes in favor.
According to the text, Article 18 expands the cases in which workers will have the right to licensesincorporating situations such as emergency medical appointments, disabling menstrual cycles, school obligations of sons and daughters and members of the family nucleus, among other circumstances.
“It is important to highlight that these new licenses not only respond to real needs of working families, but also honor the constitutional mandate that we have as legislators to guarantee progressive and incremental protection of fundamental rights,” highlighted Congresswoman María Fernanda Carrascal.
Throughout the session, the plenary also gave its approval with 95 votes in favor to articles 11, 12 and 14, with endorsed propositions, and to articles 15 and 16, as they appear in the presentation.
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In addition, The House of Representatives approved article 17 with 90 votes regarding the remuneration of mandatory rest days. According to Carrascal, this point in the articles was given the green light “with the proposals endorsed by congressmen from different political sectors.”
In the session, in addition, the proposals to eliminate articles 39,70, 71 and 78 were rejected.
In the specific case of the latter, the article refers to the formalization of community and surrogate mothers (and fathers). This later received the endorsement of 97 votes in favor.
According to Carrascal, “This measure is fundamental, since it seeks to formalize approximately 40,000 jobs that are vital for the care work of Colombian society.”
Other points of the articles that received approval from the plenary include the 19, 20, 21, 37, 39, 69, 70, 71, 73, 75, 76 and 77 with endorsed propositions. Article 72 was also approved as it appears in the presentation.
This Monday, 21 articles were approved. In total, there are 53 that have had the support of the majorities – three were denied – since the second debate began, the previous week. Now, there are only 28 articles left for this phase of the official initiative to conclude.
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