When Is Spain Going to Reduce the Maximum Annual Worktime?

Published on 19 December 2024

That is the big question of 2024. Almost a year ago, the Spanish government announced a staggered reduction of the maximum weekly worktime from 40 to 37.5 hours as one of the upcoming changes for 2024. However, there is still no clarity on the moment of coming into force of this measure and its applicability.

 

Anna Martí Belda Abogada +34 91 319 96 86

For most of 2024, there was seemingly not much progress with this government project. However, it reemerged, after several meetings between the government, trade unions and employer associations, on 5 November 2024, when the Spanish employer associations CEOE and CEPYME unanimously rejected the proposal of the Spanish Ministry of Labour to reduce the maximum statutory workday.

The Ministry of Labour reacted promptly: on 22 November 2024, it published a public consultation regarding the draft bill before it was to pass through any further legislative procedures. Between 23 November and 7 December 2024, citizens and stakeholders could submit their suggestions and contributions to the draft bill.

The main objectives and proposed measures of the draft bill are:

    1. a) Reduction of the statutory maximum worktime from 40 to 37.5 hours per week as of 1 January 2025. Specific rules are foreseen for part-time contracts and contracts with worktime reductions.
    1. b) Amendment of the regulations on recording working hours to strengthen the fight against fraud and to ensure that the records can be accessed (remotely) by employees, employee representatives and the labour, trade and social security inspectorates.
    1. c) Harmonisation of the rules on digital disconnection.

Although the project has been resumed, the moment of it coming into force and its applicability are still unknown. However, given the impossibility of reaching an agreement with CEOE and CEPYME, the measures will almost certainly not be introduced immediately.

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