Colombia is reducing the legal weekly work schedule to 40 hours and increasing pay for mandatory rest day labor [1, 3].
These adjustments follow a labor reform approved in 2025 [4]. The changes aim to improve the quality of life for workers by updating national labor regulations to prioritize balance between professional and personal time [1, 4].
According to the Ministerio de Trabajo, the reduction of the work week to 40 hours [3] will officially take effect on July 1, 2026 [2, 3]. This progressive reduction is part of a broader strategy to modernize the country's employment laws across all companies in Colombia [1, 2].
Separate from the hourly reduction, new payment regulations for employees working on mandatory rest days began earlier this month. As of May 1, 2026, the surcharge for working on a mandatory rest day increased to 90% [1, 2].
The Colombian government said these measures are necessary to align the nation with international labor trends. The shift affects all sectors of the economy, requiring businesses to adjust their payroll and scheduling systems to comply with the new mandates [1, 2].
Companies must now ensure that the 90% surcharge [2] is applied to all applicable rest-day labor to avoid legal penalties. The transition to the 40-hour week by July will require further administrative shifts for employers nationwide [3].
“Colombia is reducing the legal weekly work schedule to 40 hours”
The implementation of these mandates represents a significant shift in Colombia's economic landscape, increasing labor costs for employers while enhancing worker protections. By decoupling the pay increase for rest days from the reduction in total hours, the government is applying a two-pronged approach to increase worker compensation and leisure time simultaneously.
