- Initial approval: Once the reform is approved, the working week will be reduced from 40 to 38.5 hours per week. The Government expects this measure to be approved before the end of summer 2024.
- Final entry into force: From 1 January 2025, the working week will be reduced further, to 37.5 hours per week.
The reform will have a significant impact on both full-time and part-time employees:
- Full-time employees: The reduction in working hours will apply to all employees working full-time.
- Part-time employees: Those with part-time contracts that equal or exceed the new full-time working week (38.5 hours in 2024 or 37.5 hours in 2025) will automatically be converted into full-time contracts. Part-time employees will maintain their current number of hours and receive a proportional increase in their salary.
Companies will have a period of six months to adapt to a new mandatory digital time recording system. This measure aims to ensure accurate tracking of hours worked and ensure compliance with the new regulations.
At Timenet, we can provide the solution to all companies that need it with our working time recording system, easy to implement and affordable for all SMEs.
The Government has established a rigorous sanctions regime for companies that do not comply with the new regulations:
- Fines for non-compliance with time recording and reduction of working hours: Companies may receive fines of up to 10,000 euros per worker.
- Sanctions for labor violations: Infractions related to working hours, overtime, night work, breaks, holidays, permits and working time recording will be sanctioned in three degrees:
- Minimum level: Fines of 1,000 to 2,000 euros.
- Medium level: Fines of 2,001 to 5,000 euros.
- Maximum level: Fines of 5,001 to 10,000 euros.
The government has rejected the employers' proposal to increase the annual limit on overtime from 80 to 150 hours per worker, maintaining it at 80 hours.
So far, the reform has the support of unions and the approval of the OECD, which sees the measure as a way to improve productivity in Spain. However, the CEOE (Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations) and the self-employed have expressed their disagreement with it.