I just saw the debate that erupted on social media about the 40-hour workweek reform, and honestly, there's a lot of confusion about it.

Jorge Álvarez Máynez said it's a sham, that overtime is extended up to 12 hours per day so that the actual workday isn't reduced. He has a point, but people on Twitter questioned him quite a bit. And well, they're partly right.

What many don't understand is that the 40-hour reform is gradual. It's not that everything changes overnight, but that it will be implemented by 2030. That has been clear for months, so it's nothing new.

Now, the overtime part is interesting. According to the reform, the total of regular hours plus overtime can't exceed 12 hours in a day. This is a change from the current situation, where up to 9 hours of overtime are allowed per week.

The key here is that overtime would still be voluntary. It's not mandatory to work it. It would be paid double or triple, and can be distributed over up to 4 days with a maximum of 4 extra hours per day. That's important to clarify because many think it's mandatory.

If we do the math: with the 40-hour reform over a 6-day week, each workday would be around 6.6 hours. If you add 3 hours of overtime on 4 days, you reach almost 10 hours of work per day. Still less than what many are working now.

The point that's lost in the discussion is that this is voluntary. If you need extra income, you can do it. If not, you work your 40 hours. The 40-hour reform isn't perfect, but it's not the "wolf in sheep's clothing" that some portray it to be.