This will implement the reduction of the working day in Colombia, from 48 to 42 hours per week

Colombian workers will be reduced from 48 hours per week to 42 hours, as approved on Thursday, June 17 by the House of Representatives. The modification of the working day came from a project that was established in October 2019 former President Álvaro Uribe, who at the time was Senator of the Democratic Center.

It should be noted that this reduction of hours will be done gradually, without reducing the wages of workers, by modifying article 161 of the Labor Code. Next year the weekly working day will increase to 46 hours; From the second year of the entry into force of the law, it will increase to 44 hours and from the third year, the working day will be 42 hours per week.

In Colombia, you must work legally 48 hours per week (8 per day), compared to the average of 37.5 hours worked in Europe. On average, a Colombian worker works around 2,496 hours, while in OECD member countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and France, the average hours worked are respectively 1 371, 1,419, 1,424, 1,457 and 1,473 hours per year.

In contrast, around 30% of workers work more than 48 hours per week, when the recommendation of the International Labor Organization (ILO), that’s 40 hours a week. A study carried out by the OECD in 2016 concluded that the level of productivity decreases if people work more than 48 hours per week.

In North America, on average 40 hours per week are worked, in South America 45.9, in Central America 47, in Europe 37.5 and in Asian countries 58.1

“This delay in Colombian legislation in reducing weekly working hours indirectly affects the quality of life of Colombian workers, as they have less free time to enjoy their families, learn, rest or access leisure. In fact, Colombia tops the list of countries with the worst work-life balance, with a score of 0.9 out of 10. 27% of Colombians work more hours than the average for other countries, which is why there is a noticeable imbalance in the work-life balance “, we read in the argument that was presented alongside the bill.

However, this new day did not go very well among businessmen. An ANDI study found that establishing a reduction in the working day from 48 to 42 hours per week, split between five and six working days, would result in the loss of thousands of jobs, as reported Snail news.

“It is very likely that this project will end, generating great unemployment. The figure we have estimated is that 500 thousand jobs will be lost “, manifested Bruce Mac Master, President of ANDI.

The same ANDI calculations warn that before 2026 or 2027, the country will not recover the economic growth it brought in 2019, before the arrival of the pandemic.

For its part, Fenalco In the midst of the congressional debate on the initiative, he said: “Assigning the ordinary working day without affecting social contributions proportional to the hours worked, would only be viable if the cost of overtime has occurred, and if this is not the case, excessive charges will be generated on the payroll of the Company “.

And added this guild: “It is essential to consider that commerce, tourism and services are sectors that work intensively on weekends and at times that go beyond the normal working day, so they always have to incur overtime costs. , Sunday and public holidays “.

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