[Spain] Labour reform reduces workweek to 37.5 hours

A new labour reform is officially in motion in Spain, and it will impact work-life balance by reducing the country’s workweek, Euro Weekly News reports.

The government has approved an ambitious plan to reduce the legal maximum workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours without cutting pay. The reform has elicited strong reactions from workers, business owners, and politicians. 

The new labour law will reportedly gradually cut the Spanish workweek from 40 hours to 37.5 by the end of 2025. This reduction is a mandatory response, and employees will receive full salaries. 

According to the government, the move is not intended to make workers compress hours or work longer days, it is purely about working less. 

The reform will reportedly introduce: 

• A mandatory tracking system for employers 

• Stronger protection for the right to disconnect outside working hours 

• A push for improving work-life balance and reducing absenteeism

The policy was led by Yolanda Díaz, the Spanish Minister of Labour and Leader of Sumar. Ms Díaz contends that the shorter week is a modern take and a fair adjustment. “Work should not steal life”, she said when speaking in defence of the bill. 

Unions and a number of left-leaning coalitions reportedly see the reform as a win for work-life balance. Many workers in Spain are clocking long unpaid hours, particularly in the retail, tech, and hospitality sectors. However, opposition parties argue that the measure could hurt productivity if not matched by either digitisation or efficiency. 

Polls reportedly indicate that public support for the bill is high, especially for workers under 45. 

The law covers all full-time employees (with a few exceptions), part-time contracts will be adjusted proportionally, and sectors with “collective agreements” can still apply or negotiate conditions. This rollout will happen in phases, meaning companies must make appropriate adjustments by the second half of 2025, and HR teams will be busy in the coming months. 

Other European countries have adopted similar laws. Belgium now allows workers to condense 40 hours into 4 days, and France has had a 35-hour week since 2000. Iceland ran one of the world’s largest 4-day week trials, which was declared a success. Spain’s approach stands out by virtue of the decision to reduce working hours with full pay without compressing the schedule.

Source: Euro Weekly News

A new labour reform is officially in motion in Spain, and it will impact work-life balance by reducing the country’s workweek, Euro Weekly News reports.

The government has approved an ambitious plan to reduce the legal maximum workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours without cutting pay. The reform has elicited strong reactions from workers, business owners, and politicians. 

The new labour law will reportedly gradually cut the Spanish workweek from 40 hours to 37.5 by the end of 2025. This reduction is a mandatory response, and employees will receive full salaries. 

According to the government, the move is not intended to make workers compress hours or work longer days, it is purely about working less. 

The reform will reportedly introduce: 

• A mandatory tracking system for employers 

• Stronger protection for the right to disconnect outside working hours 

• A push for improving work-life balance and reducing absenteeism

The policy was led by Yolanda Díaz, the Spanish Minister of Labour and Leader of Sumar. Ms Díaz contends that the shorter week is a modern take and a fair adjustment. “Work should not steal life”, she said when speaking in defence of the bill. 

Unions and a number of left-leaning coalitions reportedly see the reform as a win for work-life balance. Many workers in Spain are clocking long unpaid hours, particularly in the retail, tech, and hospitality sectors. However, opposition parties argue that the measure could hurt productivity if not matched by either digitisation or efficiency. 

Polls reportedly indicate that public support for the bill is high, especially for workers under 45. 

The law covers all full-time employees (with a few exceptions), part-time contracts will be adjusted proportionally, and sectors with “collective agreements” can still apply or negotiate conditions. This rollout will happen in phases, meaning companies must make appropriate adjustments by the second half of 2025, and HR teams will be busy in the coming months. 

Other European countries have adopted similar laws. Belgium now allows workers to condense 40 hours into 4 days, and France has had a 35-hour week since 2000. Iceland ran one of the world’s largest 4-day week trials, which was declared a success. Spain’s approach stands out by virtue of the decision to reduce working hours with full pay without compressing the schedule.

Source: Euro Weekly News