Important update! Although the proposal to reduce the workweek to 37.5 hours has been rejected by the Government, other regulations initially linked to it are still moving forward through the process.
On May 6, 2025, the Spanish government approved a bill reducing the standard weekly working hours from 40 to 37.5, without any reduction in salary. This measure applied to both the public and private sectors and represented a structural shift in how work is organized in Spain.
1. What did the reduction involve?
- Employees currently working 40 hours per week would have seen their schedule reduced by 30 minutes per day, Monday through Friday, with no loss of salary or acquired rights
- The measure was mandatory for all companies, except for those explicitly exempted by collective agreements or specific regulations
- For part-time contracts exceeding 37.5 working hours per week, this threshold will have been considered full-time, leading to a proportional increase in the salary base.
2. Flexibility and collective bargaining
Companies had to reorganize work schedules through agreements with labor representatives, as long as the new legal limits were respected. This flexibility allowed for the implementation of intensive workdays, rotating shifts, or hybrid models tailored to each company’s operational context.
3. Technological and organizational adaptation
To comply with the new schedule, many companies would have needed to review their internal processes, promote digitalization and employee training, and invest in automation to maintain productivity with fewer working hours.
4. Time tracking and digital disconnection
Although digital time tracking and clock-in systems are discussed in more detail in the related article on time registration, it’s important to remember that:
- The reduction in working hours was accompanied by a strengthened requirement for digital time tracking, ensuring legal compliance and preventing fraud
- The right to digital disconnection was reinforced, protecting employees from work-related communications outside of working hours—especially relevant in remote or hybrid work environments.
These two obligations remain in force.
5. Penalties for non-compliance
Failure to comply with a digital time tracking system may lead to financial penalties of up to €10,000 per affected employee, creating a strong incentive for companies to meet the legal requirements.
