Digital Platform Workers' Labor Reform Now Published

On Dec. 24, the reform aimed at enhancing labor rights for digital platform workers was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). The new regulations are set to take effect in June 2025 and are projected to provide full social security coverage and benefits to approximately 272,000 of the 658,000 delivery workers and drivers in Mexico.

The digital platform reform adds a new section to the Federal Labor Law (LFT), ensuring that delivery workers and app drivers receive full access to social security and labor rights once they earn an income equivalent to at least one minimum wage. Furthermore, all workers will be protected against accidents that occur during working hours, regardless of their income level.

The reform also grants workers the flexibility to choose when, where, and how many platforms they wish to work with. According to the new law, effective working time is defined as the period between the acceptance and completion of an order or ride, a key concept for determining work-related accidents and eligibility for profit sharing (PTU). PTU will be available to delivery workers and drivers who exceed 288 hours of service annually.

Key implementation deadlines include the law taking effect 180 days after its publication in the DOF. After this, the IMSS Technical Council will have five days to issue the general regulations for social security coverage for delivery workers and drivers. Once these coverage rules are published, IMSS will have 180 days to launch a mandatory pilot program. Additionally, STPS will have five days after the law’s enforcement to publish provisions outlining the method for calculating the net income of app-based workers.