Colombia’s 2026 labour reform: the changes already in force (42-hour week, 90% surcharge, night work from 7:00 p.m.) and their impact on the SG-SST
Colombia’s labour reform, Law 2466 of 2025, entered into force on 25 June 2025 with a staggered application that continues through 2026. Added to this is the 42-hour working week under Law 2101 of 2021, which completed its reduction on 15 July 2026. Searches on when the labour reform starts to apply and on the new 2026 labour reform reflect the confusion. This article orders the changes already in force, those arriving in 2027 and their impact on the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SG-SST).
The changes already in force in 2026
- Night work from 7:00 p.m.: in force since 25 December 2025; the 35% night surcharge applies from that time until 6:00 a.m.
- 90% Sunday and public holiday surcharge: from 1 July 2026 (80% from 1 July 2025), rising to 100% on 1 July 2027.
- Maximum 42-hour working week: from 15 July 2026, the end of the gradual reduction under Law 2101 of 2021.
- Open-ended contracts as the general rule and limits on renewing fixed-term contracts.
- Apprentices under a special employment contract and affiliated to the ARL (occupational risk insurer).
- Digital platform couriers: Decree 0991 of 2026, in force since publication, regulates the affiliation, contributions, reporting and payment of contributions of independent and autonomous couriers; contribution, withholding, reporting and collection duties become enforceable only after 12 months from the Ministry of Health’s official certification of full technological operability.
- Protection against discrimination: Constitutional Court Ruling C-081 of 2026 declared unconstitutional the expression “that is not related to or does not influence their work performance” in Article 17(10) of Law 2466 of 2025.
- Work free from violence and discrimination (Article 18), developed by Decree 1040 of 2026.
Impact on the SG-SST
Shifts, fatigue and psychosocial risk
The 42-hour week and the night work from 7 p.m. force shift rescheduling in retail, healthcare, logistics and industry. Shift scheduling is a psychosocial risk factor (Resolution 2764 of 2022) and a fatigue factor: the assessment, controls and indicators should be updated before the change generates accidents or absenteeism.
Apprentices and couriers in the ARL
Apprentices are engaged under a special employment contract and must be included in the employer’s SG-SST: induction, training, occupational medical examinations, PPE, accident reporting and inclusion in the hazard matrix. Couriers may be employees or independent and autonomous workers; for the latter, Decree 0991 of 2026 regulates affiliation, prevention, training, PPE and accident reporting, but contribution and collection duties are not yet enforceable while the technological implementation period remains pending.
Contractors and the RUC
Contractor management under the SG-SST continues to be governed, among other provisions, by Article 2.2.4.6.28 of Decree 1072 of 2015; Law 2466 of 2025 did not create a general duty to use the RUC. Companies with contractors should review document management, induction and their suppliers’ SG-SST compliance, and the RUC contractor registry where a client or sector requires it.
Legal matrix
The SG-SST legal requirements matrix must incorporate Law 2466 of 2025, Law 2101 of 2021, Decree 0991 of 2026, Decree 1040 of 2026 and Ruling C-081 of 2026, with the application date of each provision.
Inspection and penalties: “Ojo a la reforma laboral”
The Ministry of Labour launched the “Ojo a la reforma laboral” (Eyes on the labour reform) strategy to verify the working time and surcharge changes, within the unannounced inspections under Resolution 4179 of 2025. For labour-law infringements, inspectors may impose fines of 1 to 5,000 monthly minimum wages depending on severity. For occupational-risk infringements, failure to comply with OHS programmes and standards may attract fines of up to 500 monthly minimum wages and, where a fatal accident reveals non-compliance with OHS rules, from 20 to 1,000 monthly minimum wages, without prejudice to other measures.
Summary calendar
- 25 June 2025: Law 2466 of 2025 enters into force.
- 1 July 2025: 80% Sunday surcharge.
- 25 December 2025: night work from 7:00 p.m.
- 1 July 2026: 90% Sunday surcharge.
- 15 July 2026: 42-hour week.
- 1 July 2027: 100% Sunday surcharge.
How Sabentis helps
Sabentis makes it possible to reflect shift changes in the hazard matrix and psychosocial studies, include apprentices and couriers in training and medical examinations, control contractors and keep the legal matrix up to date, through its organisational management and planning modules. Context in occupational safety in Colombia.
Frequently asked questions
When does the labour reform start to apply?
It applies from 25 June 2025, with staggered provisions: surcharges every 1 July, night work from 25 December 2025 and the 42-hour week from 15 July 2026.
Does the labour reform change the SG-SST?
It does not directly amend Decree 1072, but it changes working hours, covered groups and obligations regarding violence, which the SG-SST must reflect.
What is Decree 0991 of 2026?
The decree, in force since publication, that regulates the affiliation, contributions, reporting and payment of contributions of independent and autonomous digital delivery workers; its main operational duties become enforceable 12 months after the official certification of full technological operability. No repeal was identified.
