This law, in force since July 2023, reduces working hours without affecting salary or employee rights.
News Colombia.
On July 15, 2021, Law 2101 of 2021 was approved with the aim of progressively reducing the weekly working hours in Colombia without affecting workers’ salaries. Since its entry into force, on July 15, 2023, the reduction of hours has been carried out in a staggered manner.
- Since July 15, 2023: 47 hours a week.
- Since July 15, 2024: 46 hours a week.
- Since July 15, 2025: 44 hours a week.
The objective of this measure is that Colombia approaches the average working hours of the countries that make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In addition, it seeks to improve the quality of life of workers, promote productivity and promote the balance between personal and work life.
What will the working day be like in 2026?
In accordance with the provisions of Law 2101 of 2021, the working day will continue to be reduced until reaching 42 hours per week in 2026. The standard establishes that this reduction will not imply a decrease in wages or the benefits of workers.
With the approval of this law, article 161 of the Substantive Labor Code was modified, establishing that the ordinary work day may not exceed 42 hours per week. These may be distributed, by common agreement between employer and worker, in 5 or 6 days, always guaranteeing the mandatory rest day.
Likewise, it was established that the daily day must not exceed 9 hours or be less than 4 continuous hours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gojzkul0ij8
Nighttime and salary surcharge
Another important change occurred with the labor reform approved in October 2024, which modified the hours of the night day in Colombia. From this reform, the night schedule begins at 7:00 pm and not at 9:00 pm as established above. This means that the hours worked between 7:00 pm and 6:00 am will have a 35% night surcharge on the ordinary salary.
The progressive reduction of the working day has been well received by different sectors, since it allows to improve the mental and physical health of workers, increase productivity and reduce labor exhaustion indices. However, some entrepreneurs have expressed concerns about the impact it could have on the operating costs of companies.
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