Labor Reform stalls in Congress as final major proposal on Abinader’s legislative agenda

Santo Domingo.- With the recent withdrawal of the tax reform project and the adoption of a new Constitution, the Dominican Congress now shifts its attention to labor reform— the last major proposal on President Luis Abinader’s legislative agenda. However, despite its introduction over two weeks ago, the proposal has seen no progress.

Labor Minister Luis Miguel De Camps formally presented the labor reform proposal to Senate President Ricardo de los Santos on October 10, and the Senate immediately assigned it to a special committee led by Senator Rafael Barón Duluc. Nevertheless, the committee has yet to hold a single session, with no meetings scheduled or updates provided.

The labor reform bill, involving issues like severance pay and remote work regulations, aims to modernize the Dominican labor framework. It proposes establishing a specialized labor tribunal, recognizing domestic work regulations, adding an extra vacation day for workers, and adapting the code to account for telecommuting.

According to Diario Libre, when questioned about the delay, Senate President Ricardo de los Santos noted that the bill is in committee and will be addressed once it is reviewed and recommendations are ready for the full Senate to consider. “The Senate is the house of democracy,” he remarked, assuring that senators would seek consensus on key issues to ensure all stakeholders support the final version.

Following the intense focus on constitutional and tax reforms, labor reform remains the last significant piece on the congressional docket. The recent reforms took center stage in the legislative session, but now with tax reform withdrawn and constitutional revisions completed, labor reform takes priority.