Recent Reforms to the Federal Labor Law (LFT)
On January 15, 2026, a reform to seventeen laws was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) aiming to strengthen substantive equality policies and regulate the functions of the newly established Secretariat of Women. Among these reforms, the one concerning the LFT stands out.
The amended Article Second of the LFT now stipulates that labor norms should foster dignified work in an environment free from violence and fully respecting human rights. Article Third, which previously acknowledged work as a right requiring recognition of differences between men and women for equality before the law, now mandates work to be carried out in an environment free from discrimination and violence.
Moreover, the reformed Article 16 requires companies and establishments to contribute to maintaining a work environment free from discrimination and violence against women. Employers must now train their personnel to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence.
Importance of the Reforms
According to the National Occupation and Employment Survey, as of October 2025, women’s economic participation rate was 45.6%, with 24.4 million women employed.
The National Survey on the Dynamics of Households (ENDIREH 2021) reports that three out of ten women have experienced discrimination or violence in their workplaces at some point in their lives.
Common forms of violence against women in the workplace include discriminatory behaviors, sexual, psychological, and physical violence, primarily perpetrated by colleagues and supervisors.
Furthermore, pregnancy is the primary reason for discrimination against women in workplaces. According to the National Survey on Discrimination, 12.9% of respondents disagreed with hiring a pregnant woman or someone with young children.
Given the significant number of women actively participating in the labor market, it is crucial to ensure that the right to work—a source of income, a key to accessing social security and housing, and a significant part of our lives—is exercised in an environment free from violence and discrimination.
Are These Reforms Sufficient?
In recent years, there have been unprecedented efforts to incorporate substantive labor equality and address violence and discrimination in workplaces within Mexico’s national legislation. Examples include the obligation for employers to implement a protocol to prevent gender-based discrimination and violence, as well as the incorporation of proportional gender representation in labor union leadership.
However, there are still legislative adjustments pending. For instance, Mexico ratified the ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in 2022. Although ratification was a crucial step, the labor legislation has yet to be harmonized with the convention’s provisions. Areas requiring attention include defining workplace violence, standardizing the concept of harassment, and addressing the impact of domestic violence on work environments.
Legislative changes could also address topics such as mandatory reporting and validation of anti-discrimination and violence protocols by an authority, and extending paternity leave.
The LFT’s new emphasis on employers training their personnel to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence is a significant step. Ideally, compliance with this new obligation should be verified, and employers should receive clear guidelines and best practices for these training sessions to effectively tackle the targeted issues.
Although there is still a long list of pending matters, it’s essential to acknowledge the gradual progress made towards creating violence- and discrimination-free workplaces.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the recent reforms to Mexico’s Federal Labor Law (LFT)? The LFT now mandates companies to train their employees to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence in the workplace, ensuring a safe environment free from discrimination and harassment.
- Why are these reforms important? With women’s significant participation in the labor market, it is crucial to ensure workplaces are free from violence and discrimination. The reforms aim to protect women from common forms of workplace violence, such as discrimination and harassment.
- Are these reforms sufficient? While progress has been made, there are still areas requiring attention. Legislative adjustments should focus on defining workplace violence, standardizing harassment concepts, and addressing the impact of domestic violence on work environments.
