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Working time records in 2025

What the 2025 proposal would have changed

Update on the 2025 proposal. Spain’s Congress returned the bill on shorter working hours and working time records to the Government in September 2025. The proposals and dates discussed below describe that bill. For the rules in force, see Article 34 of the Workers’ Statute and the Congress record for the bill.

The 2025 bill would have introduced stricter working time recording and oversight. Employers had already been required to keep daily records since 2019. The bill would have tightened those obligations and expanded oversight to make working hours easier to verify. This guideexplains the proposal and sets out practical ways to keep reliable records.

Topics: working time records, shifts, remote work, retention and time tracking in Spain.

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Contents

Why working time records matter

Spain’s daily recording obligation was introduced in 2019. The rules are set out in the Workers’ Statute, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE). The 2025 bill sought to strengthen that framework. The daily recording duty continues under Article 34.9. The separate proposal to reduce the standard working week did not take effect through that bill.

The proposed reduction from 40 to 37.5 hours a week

The 2025 bill proposed reducing the statutory maximum ordinary working week from 40 to 37.5 hours. A shorter working week would have made it especially important to record the hours actually worked..

The Ministry of Labour and Social Economy stressed the importance of reliable records to verify working time.

Labour inspection and oversight

The The Ministry of Labourin collaboration with the Labour and Social Security Inspectoratecan use records to check whether employers comply with working time rules. Your records should make it possible to verify:

  • When work starts and ends.

  • How breaks and rest periods are handled.

  • How overtime is identified and managed.

  • How workers can access their records.

Reliable records help establish whether the applicable working time limits are being followed.

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What employers should record
How to organise your records

Daily records

Record the actual start and finish timesof each employee’s working day.Use a process that captures what happened rather than relying on a planned schedule.

Keeping records

Employers must retain daily records for four years and make them available to workers, their representatives and labour inspectors.

Transparency

Keep records clear and reliable. A digital tool can make records easier to retrieve and review.

Actual hours

Where relevant, document actual hours, breaks, overtime and changes to the usual schedule.

Which workers are affected?

The obligation generally applies to employers with employees, including smaller businesses..

The company’s size does not remove the duty. Employers should check which working time rules applyto their employees and any particular arrangements.

However, there are some working patterns that deserve particular attention because hours can be split, flexible or worked away from the office:

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Common arrangements

Hybrid and remote work

Where people work remotely , give them a clear way to record hours while respecting their privacy.

Employers should ensure that remote workers can record daily start and finish timesas easily as people working on site.

Rotating, split or night shifts

In sectors such as hotels, healthcare, logistics or customer service, employers may use rotating, split or night shifts.In these cases, make it clear how shift changes are recordedand how staff report relevant breaks or unexpected changes.

A consistent process helps managers understand how shifts were actually worked.

Flexible hours and work based on objectives

Many companies have adopted flexible schedules or assess performance against agreed objectives. Those arrangements still need a way to record when each working day begins and endswhere the daily recording duty applies.

Use a process that accommodates flexible workingwhile keeping a reliable record.

Self-employed workers and employment status

Genuinely self-employed people do not record their time as employees under the same rule. Where there may be an employment relationship despite the contract label,

check which obligations apply. In those cases, employment status mattersmore than the name given to the arrangement.

Part-time employees

The Part-time workers can be particularly affected by unrecorded extra hours.

Keep accurate records of hours worked and check the rules on part-time working.

Mobile employees and employees working away from the office

Sales staff, technicians and delivery workers may work away from the office. Give them a way to record hours from their usual places of work.

What can happen if records are missing or inaccurate?

Missing or unreliable records can lead to inspections, penalties or disputes. The proposed penalties in the 2025 bill did not take effect through that bill. Consult the rules in force before relying on a specific penalty amount.

  • Employment disputes

  • Internal disagreements about hours worked

  • Loss of confidence in the records

  • Problems in audits or inspections

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How companies can adapt

If you choose a digital time tracking system , look for one that is:

  • easy for staff to use,

  • usable by remote and mobile workers,

  • configurable for your shifts and working patterns,

  • and able to export records when you need them.

At in4byte , we help set up time tracking around your team’s schedules, shifts and reporting needs.

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An opportunity to improve internal management

Reliable time records can make workloads easier to understand and help resolve questions about shifts, breaks and overtime.

Check the current rules for your workforce and make sure your recording process matches how people actually work.

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