Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Labor reform tracker for the Dominican Republic: where the Código de Trabajo bill stands
Labor reform tracker for the Dominican Republic: where the Código de Trabajo bill stands
Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing
Ley 16-92 of 1992 is still the law. The bill to reform it lapsed at the close of the last legislature, was reintroduced in August 2026 and then withdrawn, and as of 26 October 2026 was before neither chamber. Press reports say cesantía, the central dispute, stays unchanged in the government's position.
Key facts
| Status of the Código de Trabajo reform bill | No bill pending in either chamber textPress report, 26 October 2026, as of 2026-10-26 · pending |
|---|---|
| Labor code in force | Ley 16-92 of 1992 textLey 16-92, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
The rule
1. The Senate approved the bill to amend Ley 16-92 in second reading on 16 October 2025, with changes that kept cesantía, added telework and took delivery out of the 10% tip.Senate press release, Bill amending Ley 16-92, 2025-10-16 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. The Chamber of Deputies passed it in first reading on 20 May 2026 by 144 votes. Reported changes included paternity leave of four working days, chapters on telework and domestic work, a 15 day vacation step and 13 suspension causes, with cesantía untouched (press report).Bill amending Ley 16-92, press report, Chamber first reading, 2026-05-20 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: First reading only. No part became law.
3. On 9 June 2026 the Chamber sent the bill back to its Labor Committee (press report).Bill amending Ley 16-92, press report, Chamber session, 2026-06-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. The bill lapsed at the close of the last legislature, was reintroduced in August by a senator and withdrawn after union rejection, and had not been refiled in either chamber as of 26 October 2026 (press report).Bill amending Ley 16-92, press report, Status, 2026-10-26 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Status at last check: no bill pending.
5. Because no reform passed, the Ministry's text of Ley 16-92 stands, as amended by the specific laws noted in that text and by Ley 2-23 on cassation and Ley 30-26 on the Christmas salary.Ley 16-92, Código de Trabajo, Whole code, 1992-05-29 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. Minimum wage tariffs are reviewed at least every two years, so the general tariff of 2025 comes due for its review by early 2027.Ley 16-92, Código de Trabajo, art. 456, 1992-05-29 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. The construction tariff has a fixed second step on 1 June 2027.Resolución CNS-04-2026, Second, 2026-06-02 official text · verified 2026-10-30
| Date | Step | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| October 2024 | Executive sends the bill to Congress | Press |
| 16 October 2025 | Senate second reading | Official |
| 20 May 2026 | Chamber first reading, 144 votes | Press |
| 9 June 2026 | Back to committee | Press |
| Close of last legislature | Bill lapses | Press |
| August 2026 | Reintroduced, then withdrawn | Press |
| 26 October 2026 | No bill in either chamber | Press |
Timeline of the reform
| Topic | Current law | 2026 proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Paternity | 2 days | 4 working days |
| Vacation | 14 then 18 days | Extra day at three to five years |
| Telework | Resolution 23-2020 | Chapter in the code |
| Domestic work | Resolution 14-2022 | Chapter in the code |
| Marriage leave | 5 days | Longer, per the Senate |
| Cesantía | Up to 23 days a year | No change |
What was on the table
Worked example
- A company drafting a 2027 handbook should keep two paternity days, not four, until a new law is published.
Step by step
- Build policies on the law in force.
- Watch for a new filing in either chamber.
- Check the Gaceta Oficial before changing payroll.
- Plan for the next wage review.
- Revisit this page after each legislature opens.
Common traps
- Some websites describe a new 2026 code as already in force. No official source supports that.
- Passing one chamber creates no rights.
- Dates vary between press pieces, so the Senate record is what we rely on for that step.
- No file number appeared in the sources we reviewed.
Sources
- Senate, second reading press release
- Diario Libre, 26 October 2026 (press)
- Diario Libre, 20 May 2026 (press)
- Hoy, 9 June 2026 (press)
- Código de Trabajo and complementary norms, Ministerio de Trabajo
- Resolución CNS-04-2026
Related pages
- labor/termination-and-severance
- labor/remote-work
- labor/domestic-workers
- labor/minimum-wage
- /country/dominican-republic/
- /calendar/
- Live dashboard
Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X
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