On November 9, 2026, BioBioChile reported that Chile’s progressive reduction of the workweek under Law 21.561 has reached its second major milestone at 42 hours, setting the stage for the final transition to a 40-hour limit by April 2028.
The landmark labor legislation, formally known as Ley 21.561, was enacted on April 26, 2024, during the administration of former President Gabriel Boric. Designed to ease the transition for employers and workers alike, the policy established a gradual rollout rather than an abrupt shift.
Following the initial drop from 45 to 44 hours in April 2024, the weekly limit moved down to 42 hours on April 26, 2026, according to BioBioChile. One final reduction remains on the calendar.
The Final Reduction Timeline
En Cancha reports that the third and final rebaja will take effect on April 26, 2028. On that date, the maximum ordinary workweek will officially settle at 40 hours.
Sabes.cl notes that this final adjustment completes a total reduction of five hours from the baseline standards that existed prior to the law’s enactment. While the statutory schedule dictates these milestones, the legislation contains no prohibitions against companies adopting shorter hours ahead of the official deadlines. Several organizations have already chosen to accelerate the transition.
Under the statutory rules detailed by BioBioChile, implementing these reductions cannot result in lower wages for affected employees. Furthermore, employers are barred from trimming the legally mandated meal break, known as the colación, to offset the lost hours.
Who Remains Excluded
The 40-hour workweek does not apply uniformly across the entire Chilean workforce. BioBioChile specifies that the regulations govern strictly those individuals whose employment falls under the Código del Trabajo.
Public sector workers remain outside the scope of this gradual reduction. Sabes.cl and Meganoticias report that personnel governed by the Estatuto Administrativo—including permanent staff (planta), contract employees (contrata), and those rendering services on a fee basis (honorarios)—are excluded because their professional relationships with the state operate under separate administrative frameworks.
