Chilean Government Tables 40-Hour Bill

Chile's administration has put extreme urgency on the project that reduces working time to 40 hours per week, resuming its processing in the Senate with a series of indications for such process.

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This initiative was introduced in 2017 by the former parliament member and current government spokesperson, Camila Vallejo. Despite its approval in 2019 in the House, it was stalled after its passage to the Senate.

"We managed to pass it (in the House). Then it passed to the Senate and, thanks to the work of Senator Adriana Muñoz, the idea of legislating was approved. We lacked greater support and today, as a government, we are proud to give it the support that was lacking in the original bill," said Minister Vallejo.

The Senate Labor Committee will resume processing this proposal, taking into account the indications to be presented by the Executive. The Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Jeannette Jara, said that they have "favored the path of social dialogue, setting up the 40-hour technical round table, whose contribution has been invaluable in drawing up a solid project."

Our transformation mandate challenges us to move towards greater justice, and the project 40 Hours points in that direction. I trust that parliamentarians will process it with the speed that workers and their families deserve. 40 Hours for a Chile with better quality of life!

"More than 200 organizations participated throughout the country, including confederations, trade union centers, federations, and workers' unions," said Jara. She added that the Confederation of Production and Commerce (CPC) and representatives of micro, small and medium-sized companies have also participated.

Minister Jara recalled that La Moneda promoted the 40 hours seal to recognize those who have decided to advance on their own in this area. So far, more than 100 companies have this qualification.

Regarding this proposal, President Gabriel Boric said that the project contemplates "gradualness so that the different companies can adapt to these new working hours."

President Gabriel Boric announces together with the ministers Jeannette Jara and Camila Vallejo indications and utmost urgency to the project 40 Hours to reactivate its processing in Congress.

"One of the deepest reasons for the social outburst has to do with the quality of life, the feeling of abuse, and the burden. This project aims at the core of this problem," added the President.

Among the indications established by the Chilean government for the 40-hour bill, the processing is the gradualness, and it intends to implement this measure within 5 years.

The co-responsibility includes overtime compensation for additional holidays and deferred entry and exit hours for caregivers of children or adolescents.

"The regulations governing the National Training and Employment Service (Sence) will be modified, seeking to favor the access of these companies to training programs regarding the organization of working time and other issues,"  indicated the Government referring to the guidance to be offered to micro and small companies in this transition.