A number of amendments to the Federal Labour Law have now come into force in Mexico, enhancing the protection afforded to young workers.
Importantly, the labour law has been amended to change the minimum working age from 14 to 15 years. This harmonises the Federal Labour Law with the Constitution, under which the minimum working age was increased from 14 to 15 in June 2014.
In addition, a number of protections that previously applied only to workers under the age of 16 have now been extended to all employees under the age of 18. As a result, workers under the age of 18 are not permitted to work on Sundays, perform overtime, or undertake work that endangers their health or safety. All workers under the age of 18 are now entitled to at least 18 days of annual paid leave and it is now a legal requirement for all workers under the age of 18 to obtain a medical certificate showing that they are fit to work. Without this medical certificate, an employer will not be able to hire a young worker.
Furthermore, the special register which employers are required to maintain containing details their young workers must now cover all employees under the age of 18. The information that must be maintained in this register includes: the worker’s full name, date of birth or age, the type of work they perform, their working time, remuneration and other general working conditions. These registers must also now include information on any professional training being received by these workers.