The reduction of the workweek has already been approved and published, but that does not mean every company must operate forty hours from 2026. The constitutional reform of March 3 and the reform to the Federal Labor Law of May 1 established a phased transition. During 2026 the weekly maximum remains at 48 hours; the first reduction, to 46, begins on January 1, 2027. This period should be used to measure actual working hours, redesign shifts and prepare electronic evidence.
The legal reduction schedule
The transitional regime sets 48 weekly hours for 2026, 46 for 2027, 44 for 2028, 42 for 2029 and 40 from 2030. The reduction cannot decrease wages, salaries or benefits. Therefore, during 2026 there is no general mandatory reduction to forty hours, although individual contracts, collective agreements or internal policies may recognize shorter workweeks. The reform also modifies rules on the distribution of time, rest and overtime. It is advisable to read each year together with its transitional provisions, because the permanent forty-hour text must not be isolated from the gradual schedule that determines when that limit is reached.
What changes for attendance control
The reform incorporates an employer obligation to electronically record the start and end of the workday and to provide the information to the authority when required. The general provisions that will define scope and exceptions take effect from January 1, 2027. The record must be consistent with rest days, overtime, shifts and payroll; a system that only generates reports but allows changes without traceability offers weak evidence. In 2026, companies can compare contracted hours, actual presence and overtime by position. That baseline makes it possible to detect where the future reduction would require hiring, automation, redistribution or service adjustments.
Operational preparation without reducing rights
The transition is not resolved by compressing the same workload into less time or reclassifying ordinary hours. Each site must map coverage by shift, demand peaks, rest, overlaps and dependence on overtime. It can then model scenarios of 46, 44, 42 and 40 hours, with an impact on costs and continuity. Any schedule change must be documented and respect the contract, collective bargaining, daily limits and weekly rest. Managers must also be trained to avoid off-the-record work or messages that in fact extend the workday. This explanation is general; implementation requires reviewing the specific scheme and the provisions issued by the STPS (Ministry of Labor).
Key points
- In 2026 the general maximum weekly workday remains at 48 hours.
- The transition will be 46 hours in 2027, 44 in 2028, 42 in 2029 and 40 in 2030.
- The reduction does not authorize decreasing salary or benefits.
- The electronic recording of working hours and its general rules become relevant from 2027.
What to review
- Establish a baseline of ordinary hours, overtime and shift coverage during 2026.
- Model the annual impact of the reduction through 2030 without altering salaries or benefits.
- Prepare electronic controls with traceability, access and reconciliation against payroll.