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Cut in weekly working hours in Spain could mean more holiday days for workers

Employees may gain up to 12 extra days off a year under the new labour rules

Spain is moving closer to reducing the standard working week from 40 to 37.5 hours, and while this change is being welcomed for promoting a better work-life balance, it could also come with an unexpected bonus - more holiday days.

By law, workers in Spain are currently entitled to a minimum of 30 calendar days of annual leave, which works out to 22 working days per year. These cannot be swapped for financial compensation except when a contract ends, and the exact dates are agreed between employee and employer.

Holiday entitlement is typically based on the assumption that a worker earns around 1.8 days of leave per month. While that calculation is not set to change, the reduction in weekly hours could still lead to more time off, particularly if companies delay updating their internal schedules.

The key reason is overtime. Under the proposed changes, employers will not be allowed to exceed the new 37.5-hour limit unless they register the additional time as overtime. If some companies continue to run on a 40-hour week, the excess hours could start to accumulate as overtime, eventually giving employees the equivalent of up to 12 extra days off per year.

The proposal has been approved by Spain’s Council of Ministers and is now progressing through parliament. The Government aims to implement it by December 31 2025, covering around 12.5 million workers, without affecting salaries. However, it faces opposition from parties like Junts, who have raised concerns about a lack of consultation with Catalan representatives and the possible financial burden on smaller businesses and self-employed workers.

Aside from the shorter working week, the draft law also includes other new rights, such as guaranteed digital disconnection outside working hours and a more sophisticated electronic timekeeping system. Companies who fail to follow these rules could face fines of up to €10,000 per employee.

There may also be flexibility for some industries, with the Government considering an irregular distribution of up to 10% of annual hours for sectors like hospitality and agriculture, where demand varies throughout the year.

For many workers, the headline change is clear: fewer hours and, quite possibly, more time to rest and recharge.

Image: Mateusz Dach/Pexels

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