Hotels in Quintana Roo Face 40-Hour Work Week Hurdles

Quintana Roo, Mexico — Implementing the 40-hour work week in Quintana Roo will be a challenge for the hotel sector, which sees a need for tax benefits and labor flexibility from authorities.

Although the 40-hour work week will not be fully implemented until 2030, business owners anticipate a complicated scenario, as it will initially impact hotel payroll expenses in Quintana Roo by 28% due to hiring additional staff to maintain service quality.

Miguel Ángel Fong, president of the Hotel and Motel Association, explained that for every five housekeepers, hotels will need to hire one more to accommodate the extra day off they will have.

“We continue to face a talent shortage not only in the state but throughout the country. It’s rare for a hotel not to have available vacancies, which makes it even more difficult when considering reducing hours for existing talent. That’s why we’re already evaluating the impact, although it will be gradual,” he said.

Hotel Workers in Quintana Roo Prefer Working for Tips

According to analyses by the Hotel and Motel Association, each new hire represents a 12% direct impact on payroll. However, implementing the federal government’s proposed reform would nearly double that impact on company finances.

During his participation in the panel “Challenges of Mexican and Caribbean Hospitality,” organized by the Center for Advanced Research in Sustainable Tourism (STARC) of Anáhuac Cancún University, Fong noted that it’s necessary to ask employees if they agree with having an extra day off per week.

“In Cancún, being one of the most important destinations, especially during high season, having that extra day off could be either a reward or punishment for employees since they would earn fewer tips. I’m sure they’ll want to keep working,” he added.

Hoteliers Request Support for 40-Hour Work Week

Fong detailed that they have proposed:

• Making payroll 100% tax-deductible
• Creating a work hour bank system
• Allowing each company to decide with employees whether to implement the extra day off
• Not taxing tips

Hotels in Cancún, Isla Mujeres, and Puerto Morelos generate over 100,000 jobs.

Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres alone generate approximately 100,000 jobs in the hotel sector, making it the primary employment-generating activity. This highlights the importance of considering the sector and potential negative repercussions in labor reforms.

Rodrigo de la Peña, president of the Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association, explained that employees don’t want to work less but rather more to earn tips that contribute to their economic stability. Therefore, they have held meetings with unions and the government to ensure the 40-hour work week provides real benefits.