The 45-hour work week that reigned Chili will be phased out over a period of five years, and will be adjusted to 40 hours per week. That’s according to a bill passed by Congress on Tuesday.

According to Jeannette Jara, Minister of Labor, “This is a project that will greatly contribute to our quality of life”. The official was referring to “people who are at home (…) who often have to put their children to sleep because they have to leave very early.”

Jara told AFP that the bill “was strongly against and many argued that it was impossible. (…) It was put at the center of having a better quality of life”.

With this decision Chile, along with Ecuador, will become the only two countries in Latin America with a 40-hour work weekcompared to the 48 that, according to the ILO, apply in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, for example.

However, employers will be able to implement the change gradually. In the period of one year, the working day will be 44 hours, in the third year of application it will decrease to 42 hours and after five years to 40 hours.

The regulations explain that employers must not cut wages of the employees and both parties can negotiating a four-day work week and three rest.

The initiative was promoted by Communist Party representatives, including Camila Vallejo, the current government spokesman, and went ahead thanks to an agreement between the ruling party and the opposition.