--- title: "2027 labor reform in Mexico: complete guide to all the changes · Sicheca" description: "40-hour workweek, overtime, electronic working-time record and fines, explained step by step. 2026 to 2030 calendar, calculators and a checklist to prepare your company. Reviewed on November 11, 2026." url: https://sicheca.com/en/reforma-laboral-2027 lang: en alternate_es: https://sicheca.com/reforma-laboral-2027.md --- Guide reviewed on November 11, 2026 # 2027 labor reform: all the changes, no fine print. 40-hour workweek, overtime, electronic working-time record and fines. What the law says, since when it applies and what your company has to do, explained for people who are not lawyers. - 12 min read - Based on the Official Gazette of the Federation - With calculators Prepare in 8 steps Read the summary ## In 30 seconds 1. **The workweek drops from 48 to 40 hours,** two hours each year: 46 in 2027, 44 in 2028, 42 in 2029 and 40 in 2030. 2. **No one can earn less** for working fewer hours. The law prohibits cutting wages and benefits. 3. **Overtime has a weekly cap.** In 2027 it is 9 at double, plus a maximum of 4 at triple. Never more than 12 hours of work in a day. 4. **Each company must keep an electronic record** of each person's clock-in and clock-out time. It does not require a device or fingerprint. 5. **Not keeping the record is fined** with 250 to 5,000 UMA: from $29,327.50 to $586,550 with the 2026 UMA. 6. **One piece is missing:** the Ministry of Labor rules that will say who the record applies to. They take effect on January 1, 2027 and have not yet been published. Status as of November 11, 2026 ## The law is already in force. The rules for the record are not yet. The reform to the Federal Labor Law was published on May 1, 2026 and took effect that day. What is still pending are the **general rules of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS)**: the document that will define which companies the electronic record applies to and what exceptions there will be. Those provisions take effect on January 1, 2027. As of the date of this review they do not appear in the Official Gazette of the Federation and there is no official publication date. We update this guide the day they are published. ## What changed, in six points. These are two reforms that go together. The first changed article 123 of the Constitution on March 3, 2026. The second changed the Federal Labor Law (LFT) on May 1, 2026, and is the one that carries the detail. Article 59 ### Maximum 40-hour workweek The ordinary workweek drops from 48 to 40 hours, gradually until 2030. Before: 48 hours a week. Articles 66 and 68 ### Overtime with a weekly cap Up to 12 hours a week at double when the transition ends, in a maximum of 4 hours a day and 4 days. Up to 4 more hours at triple. Before: 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. Article 132, section XXXIV ### Electronic working-time record Each company must keep an electronic record of the start and end time of each person's workday, and give the record to the authority when it asks for it. Before: this obligation did not exist. Article 994, section IV Bis ### Fine for not recording From 250 to 5,000 UMA for the obligated company that does not keep the electronic record. Before: this fine did not exist. Article 58 ### Workday spread by agreement The company and its staff can agree on how to spread the week's hours, respecting each day's maximums. New paragraph in the law. Seventh transitional provision ### Protected pay Working fewer hours cannot mean earning less. The reduction does not allow cutting wages, salaries or benefits. Transition rule. ### What did not change - **Each day's workday.** It is still 8 hours for day shift, 7 for night shift and 7.5 for mixed shift (article 61). - **The rest day.** At least one day with full pay for every six of work (article 69). The law does not require giving two. - **The Sunday premium.** Anyone who works on Sunday receives at least 25% additional on the pay for an ordinary day (article 71). ## Year-by-year calendar, from 2026 to 2030. Each change begins on January 1 of the corresponding year. Choose a year to see the limits for that stage. 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 ### 2027 First reduction, from January 1 - **Maximum weekly working hours**: 46 h - **Double-time overtime hours**: 9 h - **Triple-time overtime hours**: 4 h - **Weekly maximum total**: 59 h *Proportion of regular hours, double-time overtime and triple-time overtime* - Regular workday - Double-time overtime - Triple-time overtime | Year | Shift | Double overtime | Triple overtime | Total | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026 | 48 h | 9 h | 4 h | 61 h | | 2027 | 46 h | 9 h | 4 h | 59 h | | 2028 | 44 h | 10 h | 4 h | 58 h | | 2029 | 42 h | 11 h | 4 h | 57 h | | 2030 | 40 h | 12 h | 4 h | 56 h | Workday: second transitional provision. Double-time overtime: fourth transitional provision. Triple-time hours: article 68. The total maximum is the sum of the three columns. ## The workday: how to spread the hours. The law sets two limits at the same time: the weekly one, which is the one going down, and the daily one, which did not change. Within those two limits, the company and its staff can agree on how to spread the hours. | Type of shift | Schedule | Daily maximum | | --- | --- | --- | | Day | Between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm | 8 hours | | Night | Between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am | 7 hours | | Mixed | Part day and part night, with fewer than 3.5 night hours | 7 and a half hours | ### Two ways to spread 46 hours in 2027 - **Six equal days:** 7 hours 40 minutes each day. - **Five full days and one short one:** 8 hours Monday through Friday and 6 hours on Saturday. In 2030, with 40 hours, the simplest is five days of 8 hours. That leaves two days off, but it is a result of the spread, not an obligation of the law. Articles 58, 59, 60, 61 and 69 of the LFT. ## Overtime: how many hours and how they are paid. This is the change most often overlooked. The "three hours, three times a week" rule ceased to exist on May 1, 2026. Now the cap is weekly and rises over the years. 1. **First tier, at double.** Up to the weekly cap (9 hours in 2026 and 2027), with a maximum of 4 hours per day and on no more than 4 days. They are paid at 100% more. 2. **Second tier, at triple.** If the cap is exceeded, up to 4 more hours per week. They are paid at 200% more. 3. **Daily ceiling.** Regular workday plus overtime: never more than 12 hours. 4. **They are voluntary beyond the limit.** No one is required to work more time than the law allows. 5. **Under 18:** they cannot work overtime. Articles 66 and 68 of the LFT and fourth transitional provision. Minors: article 123, section A, subsection XI, of the Constitution. ## Electronic working-time record: what it requires and what it does not. It is the new obligation. The law writes it in a single sentence: record the workday of each worker electronically, with its start and end time, and give that record to the authority when it asks for it. ### What the law does require - That the record be electronic. A notebook or a signed sheet is not. - One record for each worker. - The start time and end time of the workday. - Being able to hand it over to the authority when it requires it. ### What it does not require - A wall-mounted time clock or any device. - Fingerprint, facial recognition or other biometric data. - A specific brand or technology. - A system "certified by the STPS". That certification does not exist. ### Why you should agree on it in writing The same section says that the content of the record **is full proof** if it is shown to have been agreed between the worker and the employer. In an overtime claim, that means your record counts as complete evidence of the workday. Without an agreement, it loses that force. ### What is still unknown - Which companies it applies to and which are exempt. - Whether there will be a mandatory report format. - How long records must be kept. The STPS will define all of that. Ministry officials have said in interviews that there will be freedom to choose the technology and that implementation will be gradual. These are statements, not published rules. Article 132, section XXXIV, of the LFT and fifth transitional provision. ### The record the law requires, from your team's phones. Sicheca records each person's clock-in, break and clock-out, separates day, night and overtime hours, and gives you the report by person and by period. [Join the waitlist](https://sicheca.com/en/lista-de-espera) One month free for El Buen Fin when you join. Afterward, from $149 MXN per month. ## Fines: how much and why. Labor fines are set in UMA, the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (Measurement and Update Unit). In 2026 it is worth $117.31 pesos per day and is updated every February 1, so the peso amount changes every year. | Violation | Fine | In pesos, 2026 UMA | | --- | --- | --- | | Not keeping the electronic working-time record | 250 to 5,000 UMA | $29,327.50 to $586,550 | | Not respecting the daily workday or the rest day | 50 to 250 UMA | $5,865.50 to $29,327.50 | Article 994, sections IV Bis and I, of the LFT. There is a cost that does not appear in this table: without a record, in a lawsuit over overtime the company is left without its best evidence. ## Who each change applies to. | Change | Who it applies to | | --- | --- | | Workday and overtime | To employment relationships governed by the Federal Labor Law, regardless of company size. | | Protected pay | To all the people whose workday is reduced. | | Electronic record | The law does not distinguish by size or by line of business. The STPS will define the scope of application and the exceptions, and has not yet published it. | **If you have a small business:** until the STPS publishes its rules, there is no basis to assume you fall outside. Preparing costs little; waiting to see whether it applies to you can be expensive. **If you already keep attendance control on paper:** it does not comply, because the law requires it to be electronic. ## Key dates 1. March 3, 2026 The reform to article 123 of the Constitution is published: 40-hour workweek and a ban on overtime for people under 18. 2. May 1, 2026 The reform to the Federal Labor Law is published and takes effect. The new overtime rules and the electronic record obligation begin. 3. May 1 to December 31, 2026 Period for companies and staff to adjust their work processes. The maximum workweek stays at 48 hours. 4. Date to be determined The STPS publishes the general rules for the electronic record. The first half of December has been mentioned unofficially. 5. January 1, 2027 The maximum workweek drops to 46 hours. The STPS provisions on the record take effect. 6. February 1, 2027 The UMA value changes and, with it, the peso amount of fines. 7. January 1, 2028 44-hour workweek. Double-time overtime: up to 10 per week. 8. January 1, 2029 42-hour workweek. Double-time overtime: up to 11 per week. 9. January 1, 2030 40-hour workweek. Double-time overtime: up to 12 per week. ## Prepare your company in 8 steps. Check off what you have already done. Your progress is saved on this device. 0 of 8 - **Check how many hours each person works today** Write down each person's actual workweek, not the one in the contract. Anyone over 46 hours needs an adjustment before January. - **Redesign shifts for 46 hours** Decide whether to spread it over six shorter days or five full days and one short one. Agree on it with your team. - **Confirm that no one earns less** Salary and benefits stay the same even if hours go down. - **Measure your overtime with the new rule** Weekly cap, a maximum of 4 hours per day on no more than 4 days, and never more than 12 total hours in a day. - **Choose how you will record working time** It has to be electronic, per person, with start and end time, and easy to hand over if the authority asks for it. - **Agree on the record in writing with your staff** That is what gives it full-proof value. Ask your lawyer for the text of the agreement. - **Start recording before January** Your team needs a few weeks to get used to it. It is better for mistakes to happen in December. - **Review the STPS rules when they are published** There you will find out whether there is a mandatory format or an exception that applies to you. ### Steps 5 and 7 are handled with Sicheca. You add branches and shifts, and your team records from their phones. Access starts November 23, 2026: join the waitlist and we will notify you when it is your turn. [Join the waitlist](https://sicheca.com/en/lista-de-espera) One month free for El Buen Fin when you join. No devices to buy. ## Six myths worth clearing up. False ### "In 2027 people already work 40 hours." In 2027 the maximum is 46 hours. The 40 arrive on January 1, 2030. False ### "You have to buy a time clock." The law requires an electronic record, not a device. A phone app complies. False ### "The system must be certified by the STPS." There is no official certification. Be wary of anyone who offers one. False ### "Now two rest days are mandatory." It is still at least one day for every six of work. Two days depend on how the workweek is spread. False ### "They work less, so I can pay less." The reduction of the workday does not allow cutting wages or benefits. Unconfirmed ### "The rules do not apply to small businesses." The law does not distinguish by size. The exceptions will be set by the STPS, which has not yet published them. ## If you are a worker, this is what you can check. - That from January 1, 2027 your regular workweek does not exceed 46 hours. - That your salary and benefits stay the same. - That additional time is recorded and paid as overtime: at double within the cap and at triple if it is exceeded. - That you do not work more than 12 hours in total in a single day. - That you can check your own record of clock-ins and clock-outs. If your company does not pay overtime as the law requires, the Procuraduría Federal de la Defensa del Trabajo (Federal Attorney's Office for Labor Defense, PROFEDET) offers free advice. ## Glossary - **LFT**: Ley Federal del Trabajo (Federal Labor Law). It regulates private-sector employment relationships in Mexico. - **DOF**: Diario Oficial de la Federación (Official Gazette of the Federation). Where laws and rules are published for them to be valid. - **STPS**: Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social (Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare). The authority that oversees compliance with the LFT and carries out inspections. - **UMA**: Unidad de Medida y Actualización (Measurement and Update Unit). The unit in which fines are calculated. It is published by INEGI and changes every February 1. - **Regular workday**: The normal agreed working time, within the maximums of the law. - **Overtime (tiempo extraordinario)**: Overtime: what is worked above the regular workday. - **Transitional provision**: An article at the end of a decree that says when and how each change begins to apply. - **General rules**: The detailed rules that a ministry issues to apply a law. Here, those the STPS must publish about the record. - **Full proof (prueba plena)**: Evidence that by itself establishes a fact before a court, without the need for other proof. ## Frequently asked questions ### When does the 40-hour workweek take effect in Mexico? The maximum 40-hour workweek applies from January 1, 2030. It is reached gradually: 48 hours in 2026, 46 from January 1, 2027, 44 in 2028, 42 in 2029 and 40 in 2030. This is set by the second transitional provision of the decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on May 1, 2026. ### Can they cut my pay for working fewer hours? No. The seventh transitional provision of the decree says that the reduction of the workday cannot mean a decrease in wages, salaries or benefits. ### Is a time clock mandatory in 2027? What is mandatory is the electronic working-time record, not a device. Article 132, section XXXIV, of the Federal Labor Law requires an electronic record of the start and end time of each worker's workday. You can comply with a phone app. ### How much is the fine for not keeping the electronic working-time record? From 250 to 5,000 UMA, according to article 994, section IV Bis, of the Federal Labor Law. With the 2026 UMA of $117.31 per day, that equals between $29,327.50 and $586,550 pesos. The peso amount changes every February with the new UMA. ### How many overtime hours can be worked per week in 2027? Up to 9 hours paid at double, with a maximum of 4 hours per day and on no more than 4 days of the week. If that cap is exceeded, up to 4 more hours a week are allowed, paid at triple. The regular workday plus overtime can never exceed 12 hours in a day. ### How is overtime paid under the reform? Overtime within the weekly cap is paid at 100% more than the regular hourly wage, that is, double. Overtime beyond the cap is paid at 200% more, that is, triple, and cannot exceed 4 hours a week. ### Does the reform require giving two rest days a week? No. Article 69 keeps at least one rest day with full pay for every six days of work. Two rest days are possible if the company and its staff agree to spread the workweek that way, but the law does not require them. ### Has the STPS already published the guidelines for the electronic record? As of November 11, 2026, no. The general rules of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, which will define who the obligation applies to and what exceptions there will be, take effect on January 1, 2027 and do not yet appear in the Official Gazette of the Federation. There is no official publication date. ### Does the electronic record apply to small businesses? The text of the law does not distinguish by company size. The STPS will define the scope of application and the exceptions in its general rules, which it has not yet published. Until then, no company can assume it falls outside. ### Do you need a fingerprint or facial recognition for the record? No. The law requires an electronic record with the start and end time of the workday. It does not require biometric data or any particular type of technology. ### Is there an STPS certification for working-time record systems? No. As of the date of this guide, there is no official certification of working-time record systems. No provider can claim that its system is certified by the STPS. ### Can minors work overtime? No. The reform to article 123 of the Constitution, published on March 3, 2026, establishes that people under eighteen cannot work overtime. ### What is the value of the electronic record in a labor lawsuit? Article 132, section XXXIV, says that the content of the electronic record is full proof if it is shown to have been agreed between the worker and the employer. That is why it is a good idea to put that agreement in writing. ## Sources and revisions Every piece of information in this guide comes from the official text. If you find a difference, what the Official Gazette of the Federation says prevails. - [Decree reforming the Federal Labor Law on the reduction of the working week](https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/notas/docFuente/5786537) Official Gazette of the Federation, May 1, 2026. Articles 58, 59, 61, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 132 and 994, and seven transitional provisions. - [Federal Labor Law, current text](https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFT.pdf) Chamber of Deputies. To see the full articles, including 992 and 994. - **Decree reforming article 123 of the Constitution** Official Gazette of the Federation, March 3, 2026. Section A, subsections IV and XI. - **2026 UMA value** INEGI. $117.31 pesos per day, in effect since February 1, 2026. ### Revision history - November 11, 2026: first version. The general rules of the STPS had not been published. This guide is informational and is not legal advice. For decisions about your company, consult a labor lawyer. *Sicheca* ## Reach January 1 with your record up and running. Sicheca is the time clock that lives on your team's phones. Join the waitlist and start with one month free for El Buen Fin. [Join the waitlist](https://sicheca.com/en/lista-de-espera) [See how it works](https://sicheca.com/en/)