A reform to the Federal Labor Law (LFT) in Mexico, known as ‘Silla Law’, has just been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. The new regulatory framework stipulates that employing entities have the obligation to provide seats with backrests to their workers and establish rest periods during the workday. The objective is to prevent health problems derived from standing for long periods.
The legislative amendment will come into force on June 17. From this date, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare will have a period of 30 calendar days to issue the complementary regulations. Companies will have an additional 180 days to adapt their internal regulations.
The ‘Silla Law’ modifies articles 132, 133, 422 and 423 of the LFT. The provisions contemplate the prohibition of forcing employees to remain standing during the entire working hours. Companies will need to designate specific areas in their facilities for periodic breaks and ensure the availability of sufficient seats or chairs with backrests. These measures will have to be included in the internal regulations of each organization.
The reform applies to all employers in the country, but has a special focus on the service sectors, commerce and similar activities. In industrial corporations, its implementation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of each job.
The reform contemplates fines for non-compliance ranging from 250 to 2,500 times the value of the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA). The authorities may order the suspension of activities of the offending businesses in case of recurrence.
The ‘Silla Law’ wants to guarantee occupational health
The LFT already required workplaces to have a sufficient number of seats for workers, but this requirement was not related to the right to rest. Geovanna Bañuelos de la Torre, president of the Labor and Social Welfare Commission in the Senate, has said that around 45% of employees in Mexico complete their work day standing and without rest.
The International Labor Organization warns that “prolonged periods of standing work can cause back discomfort, leg swelling, blood circulation problems, foot pain and muscle fatigue.” For her part, Angélica Vargas, a doctor from the Zaragoza Faculty of Higher Studies of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, adds that “the creation of the ‘Chair Law’ is positive because working in a sustained position for a long time damages the body in the long term. . “This stipulation will help prevent injuries and muscle overload, preventing the worker from having a chronic condition.”
A survey carried out by the OCCMundial job portal indicates that 45% of people in Mexico who perform their jobs in a constantly upright position do not receive support from their employers to mitigate related risks, although more than half report related physical conditions.
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