Chile is continuing its phased implementation of a law designed to reduce the standard workweek, a move intended to improve worker well-being and work-life balance.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security projects that Law 21.561 will be fully implemented by 2028, completing the reduction in weekly working hours.
Next Reduction in Work Hours Scheduled for 2026
The plan involves a series of successive adjustments. The first mandatory change took effect on April 26, 2024, reducing the standard workweek from 45 to 44 hours.
The next phase is slated for April 26, 2026, when the legal limit will again decrease, this time from 44 to 42 hours per week. According to the official ChileAtiende portal, the final reduction will occur in 2028, bringing the standard workweek to 40 hours.
Who is Covered by the 40-Hour Law
The legislation applies exclusively to workers with an employment relationship subject to the Labor Code.
This means it does not cover those providing services under honorarium agreements or public officials employed under contract or tenure, as their conditions are governed by the Administrative Statute and not standard labor law.
