B1.42 - Permissions and subsidies

The 37.5-hour working week

La semana laboral de 37,5 horas

Nueva reforma laboral en España para reducir la jornada a 37,5 horas semanales y sus efectos en trabajadores y empresas.
New labour reform in Spain to reduce the working week to 37.5 hours and its effects on workers and companies.

Exercise 1: Language immersion

Instruction: Recognize the indicated vocabulary in the video and answer the questions.

Word Translation
La reducción de la jornada laboral Reduction of the working day
La reforma fue aprobada The reform was approved
El Consejo de Ministros The Council of Ministers
Estar en vigor To come into force
Reorganizar el horario To reorganize working hours
El derecho a la desconexión digital The right to digital disconnection
Fuera del horario laboral Outside working hours
El incumplimiento Non-compliance
El absentismo Absenteeism
El Gobierno ha presentado las claves de la reducción de la jornada laboral a treinta y siete coma cinco horas semanales. (The Government has presented the key points of the reduction of the working week to thirty-seven and a half hours.)
Aunque la reforma fue aprobada en mayo de dos mil veinticinco, no se aplicará inmediatamente. (Although the reform was approved in May 2025, it will not be applied immediately.)
La idea es implantarla poco a poco hasta finales de año para que las empresas tengan tiempo de adaptarse y reorganizar el horario. (The plan is to phase it in gradually until the end of the year so that companies have time to adapt and reorganize working hours.)
Este cambio afecta sobre todo a las personas que trabajan cuarenta horas a la semana; mantendrán el mismo salario. (This change mainly affects people who work forty hours a week; they will keep the same salary.)
Se estima que millones de empleados se beneficiarán de esta medida. (It is estimated that millions of employees will benefit from this measure.)
Se refuerza el derecho a la desconexión digital fuera del horario laboral: no se puede contactar con los trabajadores fuera de su jornada. (The right to digital disconnection outside working hours is strengthened: workers cannot be contacted outside their working day.)
Si hay incumplimiento, puede haber sanciones económicas. (If there is non-compliance, there may be financial penalties.)
Además, la medida busca mejorar la salud y el bienestar de los trabajadores y reducir el absentismo. (In addition, the measure aims to improve workers' health and wellbeing and to reduce absenteeism.)

Comprehension questions:

  1. (What change does the new working week propose and who benefits most?)

  2. (Why will the reform not be applied immediately and how will it be introduced?)

  3. (What does the right to digital disconnection entail and what consequences can non-compliance have?)