Mexico Launches New Pilot Program to Regulate App-Based Work

Mexico’s new labor reform regulating digital platform workers will take effect on Monday, initiating a pilot program on July 1 aimed at extending labor protections and social security access to over 650,000 app-based workers, including delivery drivers and ride-hailing contractors.

The reform, backed by the federal government and President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, mandates that companies operating through digital platforms register their labor contracts through the Siva-Contratos system, overseen by the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration. This mechanism is intended to ensure compliance with new rules while preserving the operational continuity of app-based businesses, reports El Economista. 

The legislation introduces key protections for digital platform workers, including coverage for work-related risks, protection against unjustified dismissals, and transparency regarding algorithmic management. Workers earning at least the equivalent of one monthly minimum wage will also gain access to IMSS services. These include medical care, maternity and sick leave, daycare services, and retirement savings.

The reform is the result of a tripartite dialogue among government agencies, platform companies, and worker representatives. While companies such as Uber, DiDi, and Rappi participated in more than 30 meetings, some workers have expressed concern over limited information from the platforms, with reports of conflicting messages spreading across various channels.

“Disinformation should not slow down our labor rights,” stated Sergio Guerrero, General Secretary, National Union of App-Based Workers, as reported by El Economista. Guerrero criticized what he described as coordinated campaigns to spread misinformation. “We are deeply concerned about the protests carried out today, driven by disinformation campaigns promoted by the digital platforms operating in Mexico,” he added. 

Guerrero claimed the major platforms had issued alarmist public statements to incite fear and uncertainty among delivery workers and drivers. He said these actions were “supported and instrumentalized by the companies themselves to oppose the implementation of the labor reform.”

Despite pushback, STPS reaffirmed its openness to ongoing dialogue with both workers and companies. Authorities indicated that the pilot program would serve to test the practicality of the new business and social security models, adjusting where necessary before full implementation.

The new law follows six months after its official publication and fulfills Commitment 59 of the federal government’s agenda, part of what the administration has termed the "Second Level of the Transformation." It was passed unanimously by the Mexican Congress in the final weeks of the last legislative session and was recognized at ILO as an example of regulatory innovation in digital labor markets.