Understanding the Ley Silla Reform
On June 17, after 180 days of its promulgation, the Ley Silla, a reform to the Mexican Federal Labor Law (LFT), has officially come into effect. This reform acknowledges the right to rest during working hours and mandates employers to provide seating with a backrest for employees to take breaks.
What Changes with the Ley Silla?
Besides requiring employers to provide seating, the LFT now explicitly prohibits companies from forcing employees to stand for the entire workday. The aim of this reform is to prevent risks associated with prolonged exposure to a vertical posture.
Previous Regulations and the Ley Silla
Prior to this labor reform, the Mexican Federal Labor Law only obligated companies to provide an adequate number of chairs for employees. However, this requirement was not directly linked to the right to rest and was more interpreted as a tool for performing tasks.
The Ley Silla is one of the few changes to the LFT that specifically address rest during working hours, alongside recent reforms on vacations and digital disconnect rights established through teleworking regulations. These are the latest labor law modifications focusing on this matter.
Scope and Application
The Ley Silla primarily targets workplaces in the service, commerce, and related sectors. In industrial companies, this regulation will only apply if the nature of activities permits it.
What’s Next?
Starting June 17, the Mexican Secretariat of Labor and Social Prevision (STPS) has a 30-day natural period to issue regulations on work-related risk factors associated with prolonged vertical posture exposure.
Companies also have 180 days from the reform’s entry into force to adjust their internal work regulations to comply with this new obligation. The deadline for this adjustment is December 13, 2025.
Importance of the Ley Silla
Such regulations are not new in other economies. Mexico lagged behind Chile by 111 years, Uruguay by 107 years, and Argentina by 90 years in terms of legislation related to resting on a chair.
A compilation of studies published in the journal Gait and Posture emphasizes that clinical evidence suggests a “safe exposure limit” of 40 uninterrupted minutes in a vertical posture before individuals develop clinically significant lower back symptoms.
Prolonged vertical posture without rest is also linked to fatigue, tendinitis, varicose veins, knee injuries, muscle pains, plantar fasciitis, and lower back pain.
Key Questions and Answers
- What changes with the Ley Silla? The reform mandates employers to provide seating and prohibits companies from forcing employees to stand for the entire workday, aiming to prevent risks associated with prolonged vertical posture.
- Which sectors does the Ley Silla primarily target? The Ley Silla mainly targets workplaces in the service, commerce, and related sectors. Industrial companies may also apply if their activities permit it.
- What are the next steps following the Ley Silla’s entry into force? The STPS will issue regulations on work-related risks associated with prolonged vertical posture exposure within 30 days. Companies have until December 13, 2025, to adjust their internal work regulations.
- Why is the Ley Silla important? Mexico was significantly behind other economies in terms of legislation related to resting on a chair. Clinical evidence highlights the risks of prolonged vertical posture exposure, including lower back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders.
