Colombia's labor reform has been rolling out in stages since mid-2025, and it covers more than the workweek reduction to 42 hours.
In addition to the decrease in work hours, that same reform is also adjusting when night pay kicks in and how much extra Sunday and holiday work costs — both of which directly affect payroll.
What's Changing
The night shift now starts at 7:00 p.m. Under Colombia's labor reform, the night work period moved from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in late 2025. That means any hours worked between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. now qualify for the night premium. That's an extra two hours a day where premium pay applies for anyone working evening shifts.
Sunday and holiday surcharges are also gradually increasing. Similar to the work hour decrease rollout, the extra pay owed for Sunday or public holiday work is moving up in stages:
That means if your company payroll is still running at last year's 80% rate you’re underpaying anyone who worked a Sunday or holiday shift after July 1. They should be getting paid at the new 90% rate.
Who's Impacted
Any employee in Colombia who works evening hours, Sundays, or public holidays.
What Employers Should Check
To ensure your business is meeting its legal obligations, do a quick internal audit to make sure that:
- The night-shift cutoff was adjusted to 7:00 p.m. A payroll or timekeeping system with the old cutoff hardcoded would be underpaying evening hours between 7 and 9 p.m.
- The Sunday/holiday surcharge is set to 90%. If it’s still at last year's 80% rate, employees are being underpaid.
- Public holiday, overtime, and night shift hours are being reported as they occur, so they're processed at the correct rate.
How RemoFirst Helps Companies Stay Compliant
The 42-hour workweek got the headlines, but it's not the only labor regulation that changed, and it won’t be the last.
One way to ensure your business is always in compliance with all evolving labor laws in Colombia, or anywhere else you hire, is by partnering with RemoFirst.
When you hire through RemoFirst, we take on the responsibility of ensuring your business is in full compliance with the latest regulations. That includes transitions like the maximum work week decrease as well as any changes to minimum wage, pay rates, etc.
With RemoFirst, there’s no need to track every labor law update yourself. You can rest assured that we’re monitoring and making any necessary changes behind the scenes. You and your team can just focus on finding and managing the best talent in Colombia — and around the globe.
Book a demo today to learn how RemoFirst can help you hire and support employees in Colombia and 185+ countries worldwide.
