STPS Introduces Reform for Digital Platform Workers

Mexico’s Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Marath Bolaños, recently discussed the new reform for digital platform workers, which was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) in December. The reform aims to grant labor rights to delivery drivers and app-based service workers without disrupting the independent business model these platforms rely on.

“This reform guarantees workers’ rights while allowing them to maintain control over their working hours and the companies they choose to work for,” Bolaños López stated at Palacio Nacional. The Minister explained that the reform was developed with support from both digital platform worker organizations and the companies involved. The goal is to offer improved working conditions for the more than 658,000 individuals registered as platform workers, including the 272,000 whose earnings are equal to or exceed the minimum monthly wage. Bolaños López emphasized that the reform is "pioneering in the world" for ensuring labor rights without compromising workers' autonomy to choose their hours or the companies they work with.

Bolaños López clarified that platform workers earning at least one minimum wage will be classified as subordinate workers, while those earning less will retain their independent status but will still be covered for work-related risks.

The reform for digital platform workers' rights include access to social security benefits such as health insurance, maternity benefits, accident protection, retirement savings, and daycare for those earning above the minimum wage. It also ensures protection against unjustified dismissals and mandates transparency regarding algorithmic decisions, so workers will have a clear understanding of their earnings. Additionally, the reform guarantees workers the freedom to organize their work and introduces protocols to address harassment and bullying.

STPS provided a timeline for the implementation of the reform, with enactment set for June 27. A pilot program will begin on the same day, with full implementation expected by December 2025.