On 26 April 2024 a new law amending the Labour Code to reduce
the weekly working hours limit from 45 to 40 hours will go into
effect.
The reduction applies to all jobs regulated by the Labour Code.
It will enter into force gradually over a period of five years, in
an effort to avoid affecting small and medium-sized enterprises and
employability.
This change represents a crucial step forward in aligning
Chile's labour regulations with international standards and
addressing longstanding concerns regarding excessive working
hours.
The working week has long been one of the main demands of
employees in Chile, and the demands of modern life make it
difficult to reconcile family life or recreation with the 45-hour
working week. The new law is a response to the historical demands.
It was created to improve employees' quality of life: it aims
to allow them to develop a family life and/or have free time for
education or entertainment.
