Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of September 15, 2026, from the General Directorate for the Efficiency of the Public Justice Service |
|---|---|
| Publication | September 21, 2026 |
| Entry into force | September 22, 2026 |
| Affected parties | Officials and personnel serving the Administration of Justice throughout the national territory |
| Category | Public Sector |
| Fiscal year | 2026 |
| General workweek | 35 hours per week |
| Special dedication workweek | Maximum 37.5 hours per week |
| Intensive summer workweek | 32.5 hours per week (June 16 – September 15) |
Justice Administration staff work from September 22, 2026 with a maximum workweek of 35 hours. The Resolution of September 15, 2026, from the General Directorate for the Efficiency of the Public Justice Service, adapts the working hours regime for this group to the workweek reduction that has already been in effect for the General State Administration since April 2026.
This is not an isolated measure: it is the extension of a structural reform affecting the entire state public employment sector and now reaches the judicial sphere with its own particularities, especially regarding urgent procedural actions outside ordinary working hours.
What does this regulation establish?
The resolution regulates four specific aspects of working time organization in the Administration of Justice:
1. Applicable working schedules
| Modality | Hours per week | Application period |
|---|---|---|
| General workweek | 35 h | All year (except summer) |
| Special dedication workweek | Max. 37.5 h | All year |
| Intensive summer workweek | 32.5 h | June 16 – September 15 |
| Reduced workweek for personal interest | 5 h daily (Mon–Fri) | Upon official request |
2. Compensation for extension in urgent procedural actions
Hours worked beyond ordinary working hours for urgent procedural actions are not paid as ordinary overtime: they are compensated through time multipliers applied to actual hours worked:
| Time slot / Day | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| From 17:00 h to 22:00 h | 2x |
| From 22:00 h to 7:30 h | 2.5x |
| Weekends | 2.5x |
| Holidays | 2.5x |
3. Reduced workweek for personal interest
The official who requests a reduced workweek for personal interest will work 5 hours daily from Monday to Friday and will receive 75% of their compensation. This modality is not linked to family conciliation or special situations: it is a voluntary reduction option with direct retributive impact.
4. Annual labor calendars
The Ministry and Autonomous Communities with assumed competencies in Justice matters must approve their annual labor calendars before January 1 of each year. Failure to meet this deadline implies a lack of planning that can generate conflicts in shift management and on-call services.
Economic and operational impact
For administrations managing Justice personnel, the workweek reduction has immediate operational consequences:
- Higher cost per hour worked outside working hours: multipliers of 2x and 2.5x significantly increase the cost of extension for urgent night or holiday procedural actions.
- Need to resize staffing or shifts: with fewer hours available per official, coverage of on-call services and urgent procedural matters requires a review of planning.
- Retributive impact on reduced workweek: the official who opts for the 5-hour daily workweek earns 75% of their salary, which represents a 25% savings for the administration of the salary cost of that position during the reduction period.
- Calendar approval deadline: January 1 is the annual deadline for having the labor calendar approved. Autonomous Communities with their own competencies must coordinate internally to meet it.
Who does it affect?
- Officials from bodies serving the Administration of Justice (judicial secretaries, managers, processors, judicial assistants, forensic doctors, etc.) throughout the national territory.
- Personnel under special dedication regime assigned to judicial bodies.
- Ministry of Justice, in its function of approving the annual labor calendar.
- Autonomous Communities with assumed competencies in Justice matters (among others: Catalonia, Basque Country, Andalusia, Galicia, Valencia, Navarre, Canary Islands), which must approve their own calendars before January 1.
- Human resources managers and administrators of judicial bodies that manage shifts, on-call services, and extensions.
Practical example
An official of the Administration of Justice under general workweek regime who must extend their workday for an urgent procedural action at 23:00 h on a Saturday accumulates hours with the multiplier of 2.5x. If they extend 2 actual hours, these count as 5 hours for compensation purposes in rest or compensation.
On the other hand, if the extension occurs at 18:00 h on a working day, the multiplier is 2x: those same 2 actual hours count as 4 hours. The difference between both scenarios is relevant for planning on-call services and managing hour pools.
On the other hand, an official who requests a reduced workweek for personal interest will work 5 hours daily (Monday to Friday) and will receive 75% of their compensation. If their gross monthly salary is €2,000, they will earn €1,500 during the reduction period.
What should administrations do now?
- Update work schedules and shifts to reflect the 35-hour workweek from September 22, 2026. Previous schedules based on 37.5 hours become outdated.
- Review special dedication contracts and agreements to verify that no official exceeds the 37.5-hour weekly cap established for that regime.
- Correctly apply compensation multipliers for extension (2x from 17h to 22h; 2.5x from 22h to 7:30h, weekends and holidays) in time control systems and payroll management.
- Plan the intensive summer workweek (32.5 hours per week from June 16 to September 15) with sufficient advance notice in annual calendars.
- Approve the annual labor calendar before January 1 of each fiscal year. Autonomous Communities with assumed competencies must initiate the approval process with sufficient margin to meet that deadline.
- Inform staff about the reduced workweek option for personal interest (5 daily hours at 75% compensation) and the application procedure.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours per week does Justice Administration staff work now?
From September 22, 2026, the general workweek is 35 hours per week. Officials under special dedication regime have a maximum of 37.5 hours per week. In summer (from June 16 to September 15) the intensive workweek of 32.5 hours per week applies.
How are overtime hours compensated for urgent procedural actions in the Administration of Justice?
Through multipliers on actual hours worked: 2x for hours between 17:00 and 22:00 h, and 2.5x for hours between 22:00 and 7:30 h, as well as for those worked on weekends and holidays. These compensated hours are deducted from the workweek or paid as appropriate.
What does the reduced workweek for personal interest in the Administration of Justice entail?
The official who requests it works 5 hours daily from Monday to Friday and receives 75% of their compensation. It is not linked to family conciliation situations: it is a voluntary option with proportional salary reduction.
When must the labor calendar for the Administration of Justice be approved?
The Ministry of Justice and Autonomous Communities with assumed competencies must approve their annual labor calendars before January 1 of each year. It is a binding deadline that requires initiating the drafting process with sufficient advance notice.
Does this workweek reduction also affect Autonomous Communities with Justice competencies?
Yes. The resolution applies throughout the national territory. Autonomous Communities that have assumed competencies in Justice matters must adapt their calendars and schedules to the new 35-hour workweek, and approve their own labor calendars before January 1 of each year.
Official source
View complete regulation at official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-19524
