Colombia has implemented labor reforms aimed at modernizing workplace regulations by strengthening employee protections while maintaining flexibility for employers. Key changes include new employer-paid leave entitlements, flexible work options and reduced working hours. Most provisions took effect from 25 June 2025, with some provisions taking effect from later dates.
Background
Law 2466 of 2025 (the “Law”) was signed on 25 June 2025 by President Gustavo Petro and introduces significant changes to Colombia’s Substantive Labor Code.
The changes highlighted below took effect from 25 June 2025, unless otherwise stated.
Key details
The following sets out major changes for employers to note:
New employer-paid leaves
The Law sets out new types of “necessary paid leave,” which employers are now obliged to grant for the following cases:
Emergency medical appointments or scheduled medical appointments with specialists, provided that the employer is informed and provided with a medical certificate prior to the appointment.
Serious personal or family emergencies, defined as duly verified personal or family incidents (within the third degree of consanguinity, second degree of affinity, or first civil degree) or other unforeseeable events or force majeure that materially affect the employee’s ability to work. The degrees of kinship follow standard definitions used in Colombian law and generally includes relatives such as parents (by blood or adoption), children (by blood or adoption), siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and certain in‑law relationships.
School appointments as a guardian of a child, if the employee’s attendance is mandatory at the school’s request.
Judicial, administrative and legal summonses.
The Law does not establish a fixed or maximum number of hours or days for these leave types, nor does it specify whether such limits will be defined in future regulations. When updating leave policies to incorporate these new categories of paid leave, employers may wish to consult their legal counsel to determine what constitutes the “necessary” or otherwise reasonable amount of time off in each case.
The Law also includes a new provision that employees who commute by bicycle to and from their workplaces may also agree with their employer to take one day of employer-paid leave for every six months of work.
Flexible work and teleworking
Employees responsible for caring for minor children, elderly relatives, or people with disabilities or catastrophic, serious chronic or terminal diseases may request flexible working arrangements. The person receiving the care must be a relative within the second degree of consanguinity, first degree of affinity, or first or second civil degree, or must depend exclusively on the employee as a caregiver due to having no other family members.
The request to the employer must include details of the proposed flexible working arrangement, such as the proposed work modality (e.g., on-site, remote or hybrid) and work schedule, and proof of responsibility of care.
Employers must respond to requests within 15 business days. If the employer accepts the request, the response should set out the implementation process to be followed. If the employer denies the request, the response must set out the reasons for denial or propose an alternative arrangement to the employee.
The Law also amends teleworking legislation as follows:
New forms of teleworking are now recognized:
Transnational teleworking, where teleworkers under an employment relationship entered into in Colombia work from abroad. Employers are required to provide healthcare insurance for such employees that covers accidents and illnesses. Additionally, employers must continue to pay contributions for such employees through the Colombian social security system.
Temporary or emergency teleworking arrangements can be implemented for specific situations such as health emergencies or natural disasters.
Employers must provide a mandatory connectivity allowance for teleworking employees with a monthly salary up to two times the monthly legal minimum wage (this is equivalent to COP 3,501,810 in 2026). For employees who work remotely, this new allowance replaces the mandatory transport allowance that applies to employees earning up to two times the monthly legal minimum wage and shall be of an equivalent amount. The amount of the transport allowance is fixed annually (COP 249,095 per month in 2026).
Employers must provide training for teleworkers covering telework policies, health and safety requirements, the use of remote work tools, and employee rights and obligations.
Working hours
Law 2101 of 2021 provided for the phased reduction of the maximum legal workweek from 48 to 42 hours, without any reduction in salaries or benefits. Maximum working hours per week were reduced to 47 hours on 15 July 2023, 46 hours on 15 July 2024 and 44 hours on 15 July 2025. The next and final reduction to 42 hours is scheduled to take effect on 15 July 2026.
While the new Law has amended the Substantive Labor Code to reflect the final 42-hour working week, it does not alter the phased implementation schedule. Employers should continue to refer to Law 2101 of 2021’s implementation schedule as stated above.
Overtime
Under the Law, employers are no longer required to obtain prior authorization from the Ministry of Labor to schedule overtime work. However, they must continue to maintain accurate daily records of all overtime hours worked by each employee.
There are no changes in overtime pay rates. Employers must pay a surcharge equal to 25 % of regular daytime wages for daytime overtime and 75 % of regular daytime wages for overtime performed during nighttime hours.
Night work
The night work period has been updated. Previously, night work hours were from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Since 25 December 2025, night work hours run from 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Work performed during the night work period that falls within regular working hours is subject to a night work surcharge equal to 35 % of the regular daytime wage. If the hours qualify as overtime, a 75 % overtime surcharge applies.
Sunday and public holiday work surcharge
The Law sets out gradual increases in the surcharge for work on Sundays and public holidays from the previous 75% to 100% of regular wages as follows:
From 1 July 2025: 80%
From 1 July 2026: 90%
From 1 July 2027: 100%
Employment contracts
Previously, fixed-term contracts were limited to a maximum of three years per contract, but they could be extended indefinitely, with no limit on the cumulative duration of a fixed-term contract and its extensions. Under the Law, fixed-term contracts are now limited to a maximum total duration of four years, including any extensions, after which such contracts shall be deemed indefinite.
The Law also introduces a new provision governing employment contracts for the duration of specific work or tasks. If the employee has completed the work specified in the contract but continues to provide similar services instead of new and different services, the contract will be deemed indefinite from the beginning of the employment relationship.
Protections against workplace discrimination, violence, and harassment
The Law strengthens anti-discrimination rules covering gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, disability, family condition, age, economic conditions, health conditions, political or religious preferences, or the exercise of unionization. The Law also includes a mandate for the Ministry of Labor to formulate a public policy that establishes protocols, plans, programs, and strategies to eliminate workplace violence, harassment, and discrimination.
Disability quota and reasonable accommodations
The Law introduces a new mandatory disability hiring quota, which is due to take effect on 25 June 2026. Employers with up to 500 employees must employ at least two people with disabilities for every 100 employees while employers with over 500 employees must employ at least one person with a disability for every additional 100 employees beyond the first 500 employees.
Additionally, employers are now required under the Substantive Labor Code to provide reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities, by making reasonable adjustments required by such employees to remove attitudinal, communication, and physical barriers as defined in Article 2(5) of Law 1618 of 2013 (opens a new window), so that they can access, perform and maintain their work.
Employer action: ACT
As the reforms are extensive, employers are encouraged to work with their legal counsel to review the Law in its entirety to determine the specific changes applicable to them and assess their impact.
Employers should review and update their internal policies and procedures, as well as employee handbooks and contracts, if they have not already done so, to ensure compliance. They should also coordinate with their human resources service providers on the necessary updates to be made to existing processes and systems.
Employers should also monitor the release of additional regulations and regulatory guidance.
Written in collaboration with:
Liliana Rodriguez Bernal
Manager, Benefits, People Solutions, Lockton (Colombia) Sekuritas
liliana.rodriguez@lockton.com (opens a new window)
Gina Castro Lamouroux
Manager, International Accounts, People Solutions, Lockton (Colombia) Sekuritas
gina.castro@lockton.com (opens a new window)
Further Information
Law 2466 of 2025 | Sistema Único de Información Normativa (SUIN-Juriscol) (opens a new window)
