Mexico: Chair Law (“Ley Silla”), The New Reality for Mexican Employees

The governing party Morena has issued an initiative to amend Articles 132 section V; Article 133 section XVII Bis; Article 422, Article 423 section I, V, VIII and X. The initiative seeks to provide employee with periodic rest periods. We have to remember that the Federal Labour Law only foresees for employees to have at least 30-minute break to either have their lunch or rest. However, this amendment to the Federal Labour Law is requesting for employers to provide additional and periodic rest periods. Also, employers should provide backrest chairs to employees. The proposed initiative will apply to all those employers that can accommodate this new regulation but especially commercial establishments, service sectors and similar companies.

 

Moreover, it would be the employer’s responsibility to provide employees during these additional and periodical rest periods backrest chairs. With this amendment, employers in Mexico should start modifying their work conditions specially for those companies that can accommodate the backrest chairs and should start analysing how the periodic rest periods will impact their operation. The proposed initiative does not specify the number of additional rest periods nor the length of them.