
Spain will implement a reduction in the daily working day of half an hour. This Tuesday, February 4, the Council of Ministers approved a draft bill that establishes a reduction in the maximum weekly working day, from the current 40 hours to 37.5 hours.
The next step will be for this proposal of the Ministry of Labor to be debated and processed in the Congress of Deputies, where it could be modified according to the amendments presented by the different parliamentary groups. For its final approval, the Government will have to negotiate with the political forces and overcome this legislative process.
This initiative, which represents the first reduction in working hours in four decades, aims to reduce the hours worked without affecting wages. It will apply to all workers whose collective bargaining agreements do not already contemplate 37.5 hours as the maximum weekly limit.
In addition, the draft bill includes a wage improvement for those who work part-time or have reduced working hours.
When will the new working day come into force?
The draft bill will be processed through the urgency procedure, which could allow its approval before next summer. However, the Executive will have to define, among other aspects, the transition period necessary to fully implement this reduction in working hours throughout the country.
Although the text approved today could undergo modifications during its processing, the Government expects the law to enter into force before December 31, 2025.
The reform will also introduce a digital system to control working hours, remotely accessible by the Labor Inspectorate. It will also guarantee the unwaivable right of employees to disconnect outside working hours.