Mexico City, July 7 – Mexico City has taken a significant step towards recognizing caregiving as a shared responsibility by enacting the new Public Care System Law. This legislation aims to allow employees to request work leave for family care, promoting greater flexibility in the workplace and addressing a long-standing challenge for millions of caregivers, predominantly women.
Caregiving as a Recognized Reason for Work Leave
According to El Economista, the Head of Government, Clara Brugada, promulgated the Public Care System Law with the objective of redistributing care responsibilities among the state, the private sector, and society. This move challenges the traditional notion that caregiving is solely a family matter.
Among the key measures, the law promotes labor conditions compatible with caregiving responsibilities. This includes encouraging companies to implement telecommuting, flexible hours, or permits for employees to attend to family members requiring assistance.
The legislation also recognizes the rights of both caregivers and those receiving care, upholding the principle of ensuring the right to care, receive care, and have time for self-care.
Beyond Permits: A Network of Care Spaces
The strategy extends beyond the workplace. The capital government has announced plans to establish a comprehensive network of care facilities. This includes the construction of 100 new “Utopías” (Utopias), 200 “Casas de las Tres R” (Houses of the Three Rs), 300 Child Care and Development Centers, 200 Day Centers for the Elderly, and 200 spaces for people with disabilities. The ambitious goal is to serve over 100,000 people annually.
Furthermore, the law mandates the creation of a registry for remunerated and non-remunerated caregivers, along with a free certification mechanism to professionalize caregiving activities.
An analysis by IMCO (Mexican Institute for Competitiveness) highlights that Mexico City is now the second entity in the country, after Jalisco, to implement such legislation. IMCO also notes that over 40 capital authorities will assume obligations related to the right to care and will need to allocate resources to make it effective, although the specific budget distribution is yet to be defined.
Implementation Challenges and Future Steps
The scope of the challenge is significant. IMCO data indicates that approximately 3,018,000 people in Mexico City require some form of care, while around 3,080,000 provide it. A substantial portion of these tasks continues to fall on women, who dedicate an average of 34 hours per week to caregiving, compared to 16 hours for men.
However, the law’s provision for work leave or flexible schemes does not guarantee immediate implementation across all companies. IMCO warns that a primary challenge will be to reach agreements between the government and the private sector regarding working hours, licenses, and permits, as many of these measures will depend on the implementation of specific policies.
For now, the transitory articles establish a maximum period of six months to install the Board of the Care System and an additional three months to present the regulations that will define how this new model will operate. This process will ultimately determine the real scope of benefits such as work leave for family caregivers.
Source: Xataka México
