Maximum Working Hours & Overtime Laws in Mexico
Standard hours
The working day is the time during which the employee is at the employer’s disposal to work.
Maximum working hours
| Type of shift |
Period of time covered in the shift |
Maximum duration of the shift |
| Day |
Between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. |
Eight hours |
| Night |
Between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. |
Seven hours |
| Mixed |
Periods during both day and night shifts, provided that the night period is shorter than three and a half hours, since a night period longer than three and a half hours is considered to be a night shift |
Seven and a half hours |
The working day may be extended for extraordinary circumstances, never exceeding three hours a day or three times a week.
The employee must comply with the maximum number of working hours, depending on the shift that corresponds to the following:
- Day – 48 hours per week
- Night – 42 hours per week
- Mixed – 45 hours per week
It is possible to agree that the employee may work on Saturdays as long as the employee does not exceed the hours allowed and always enjoys a half-hour rest and a full day of rest.
Employees are not obligated to render services on their rest days or vacation days. If this provision is violated, the employer will pay the employee (1) a double salary for the service rendered besides the salary the employee is entitled to on that rest day or (2) the additional compensation for work done on that vacation day.
Overtime compensation
Overtime working hours wages shall be 100 percent higher than the wages corresponding to the regular working hours.
The extension of overtime by more than nine hours per week obliges the employer to pay the worker the wages that are 200 percent higher than the wages corresponding to the regular working hours. The working day may also be extended for extraordinary circumstances, never exceeding three hours a day or three times a week.
Break rights
Every employee is entitled to the following:
- During the continuous working day, the employee shall be granted at least a half-hour break.
- For every six days of work, the employee shall have at least one day off with full pay.
- In jobs requiring continuous work, the employee and the employer shall establish by mutual agreement the days on which the employee shall enjoy the weekly rest days.
No legal provision exists establishing a rest schedule after five hours of work, except for professions requiring it due to the nature of the services and the safety of third parties on the road. The commercial custom is to take meals between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The only legal requirement is that the break time cannot be shorter than 30 minutes.
Sunday work
Employees who render services on Sundays shall be entitled to an additional premium of at least 25 percent over the salary for ordinary working days
