"Chair Law" Decree

On December 19 of this year, the “DECREE amending and adding several provisions of the Federal Labor Law” was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), specifically, Articles 132, first paragraph and Section V; 133, first paragraph; 422, first paragraph and 423, Sections I, V, VIII and X, adding Section XVII Bis to Article 133, to establish the following:

It is foreseen as a prohibition to the employer:

  • Forcing workers to remain standing during the entire working day and prohibiting them from sitting down periodically during the performance of their duties.

The employer’s obligations are provided for:

  • Provide a sufficient number of seats or chairs with backrests available to all workers in the service, commerce and similar workplaces sectors, for the performance of their duties or for periodic rest breaks during the workday. In the case of periodic breaks, the seats or chairs with backrests shall be located in specific areas designated for such purpose in the same workplace facilities. The same provision shall be observed in industrial establishments when permitted by the nature of the work.
  • Establish within the Internal Labor Regulations, the rules that regulate the right of workers to use seats or chairs with backrests during the workday.


The transitory articles of the decree to which we refer establish the following:

  1. The entry into force of the decree was scheduled 180 calendar days after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation, being December 19, 2024.
  2. [1] The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare was ordered to issue the corresponding regulations on occupational risk factors within a maximum period of 30 calendar days following the entry into force of the decree .
  3. [2] Employers were granted a period of 180 calendar days from the entry into force of the decree , to adapt their internal regulations regarding the obligation to use seats and chairs with backrests.


Considering the above and some questions that arise from the wording of the new regulations, such as the duration of the periodic breaks and the number of breaks during the working day, our recommendation would be to wait until the corresponding regulations are issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, in order to correctly adapt the internal regulations of the companies and thus fully comply with the new provisions, considering that the deadline for this is approximately December 2025.

We hope you find this information useful and we remain at your disposal for any questions or comments you may have.

Atentamente,

ILC Integral Legal Consulting, S.C.

[1] That is, 180 calendar days after the publication date (December 19, 2024).
[2] That is, 180 calendar days after the publication date (December 19, 2024).