Ley Silla Reduces Working Hours by 18.75% in Service Sector, Concanaco Servytur Calls for Clear Guidelines

Web Editor

July 21, 2025

a man in a black vest and tie standing over a table with chairs and a white table with a white table

Background on Concanaco Servytur and its Relevance

Confederación de Cámaras Nacionales de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo (Concanaco Servytur) is a prominent organization representing businesses in the commerce, services, and tourism sectors in Mexico. With thousands of member companies, Concanaco Servytur plays a crucial role in advocating for policies that impact the well-being and productivity of workers and employers alike.

Implementation of Ley Silla and its Impact

The recently implemented Ley Silla, or “Chair Law,” has caused significant uncertainty and confusion in the workplace, particularly within the commerce, services, and tourism sectors. This law mandates that workers must have access to chairs and take periodic active breaks during their workday.

Concerns Raised by Concanaco Servytur

Concanaco Servytur has expressed concerns over the ambiguity surrounding the technical aspects of implementing Ley Silla, such as defining minimum and maximum break times. The organization argues that without clear guidelines, employers are left to interpret the law arbitrarily, potentially leading to reduced effective working hours.

Quantifying the Impact

According to Octavio de la Torre, president of Concanaco Servytur, the Ley Silla has resulted in an effective reduction of 18.75% in daily working hours. Assuming a standard workweek of six days, with seven productive hours per day, the actual working time amounts to 42 hours. However, employers are obligated to compensate employees for a full 48-hour workweek.

Lack of Technical Guidelines in Ley Silla

One of the main criticisms leveled against Ley Silla is its failure to establish specific technical guidelines regarding break durations, frequencies, and criteria based on job types. Instead, the law delegates these responsibilities to individual employers, who must conduct risk assessments and adhere to state-specific regulations.

Implications for Businesses

The absence of clear technical guidelines poses challenges for businesses, as they must balance employee well-being, productivity, and compliance with the new law. Moreover, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that rely on consistent consumer traffic face additional strain due to the potential disruption of turn planning, productivity targets, and operational costs.

Key Questions and Answers

  • What is Ley Silla? Ley Silla, or “Chair Law,” mandates that workers must have access to chairs and take periodic active breaks during their workday.
  • How has Ley Silla affected the service sector? The implementation of Ley Silla has led to a reduction of 18.75% in effective daily working hours, causing uncertainty and confusion among businesses in the commerce, services, and tourism sectors.
  • What are Concanaco Servytur’s concerns? Concanaco Servytur is concerned about the lack of clear technical guidelines in Ley Silla, which leaves employers to interpret the law arbitrarily and potentially reduce effective working hours.
  • How does the absence of guidelines impact businesses? The absence of clear technical guidelines poses challenges for businesses, as they must balance employee well-being, productivity, and compliance with the new law. This is especially true for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that rely on consistent consumer traffic.