Colombia. After the approval of Law 2101 on the reduction of working hours, Geovictoria, specialists in the automation of attendance management, analyzes what is known about this Law and explains how Colombian companies leverage attendance control tools to take advantage of it.
• What is Law 2101? Also called the Reduction of Working Hours Law, it seeks to gradually reduce the weekly working day to 42 hours by 2026, without affecting the wages, rights and guarantees of workers. The distribution of schedules must be agreed between the company and the collaborator, in 5 to 6 days a week, guaranteeing at least one day of rest per week. The number of hours worked may vary from day to day (4 hours minimum, 9 hours maximum).
• Since when and until when is Law 2101 implemented? It is proposed to gradually relax the weekly working time with a view to establishing a 42-hour working day by 2026. The reduction will be given in four annual stages: 15/07 2023 (47 hours), 15/07 2024 (46 hours), 15/07 2025 (44 hours), 15/07 2026 (42 hours).
• What exceptions are there in the Act? Work considered by the Government to be unhealthy or dangerous may be adapted to the Act subject to an opinion on the matter. On the other hand, adolescents between 15 and 17 years old will only be able to work in a maximum daytime of 6 hours a day and 30 hours a week and until 6:00 p.m. While adolescents over 17 years old, will only be able to work in a maximum day of 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week and until 8:00 p.m.
• What happens if a company does not apply the standard? Failure to comply with the measure results in the employee terminating the employment contract unilaterally and demanding the payment of the corresponding compensation, for just cause. This figure is known as indirect dismissal and is condensed in part 'B' of numeral 6 of article 62 of the Substantive Labour Code.
Regarding how companies and collaborators can benefit from this law, and how the technology of attendance control tools can help take advantage of it, Alejandra Martínez, Deputy HR Manager of GeoVictoria Colombia, details the following:
"For companies and employees, Law 2101 can mean greater productivity and efficiency at work, since employees will have more time to rest and recover, reducing stress and improving their mental and physical health. In addition, it can help reduce absenteeism and improve employee satisfaction," said Alejandra Martínez, Deputy HR Manager of GeoVictoria Colombia.
Technology in favor of the Reduction of the Working Day
Today, technology has become a fundamental tool for the adaptation of the law in companies. For example, attendance control software, technology that provides accurate metrics of hours worked (punctuality, absences, etc.). In addition, it allows to know if a worker is absent from his job (medical or family leave, or others), and before this, look for a way to cover that absence, avoiding affecting the chain of actions that are carried out in the position.
This process can be done using alerts:
• Email alert system.
• Location of the headquarters or branch by geolocation on a map: shows the collaborators available for replacement with times and displacements.
• Request for the replacement of the collaborator according to the circumstance: via ChatGPT integrated to OPEN AI, all in real time.
In addition, technology also helps employees to have a backup of their productivity and future payroll payments or other benefits, in turn, allows them to communicate with their employers and co-workers more efficiently and effectively.
