Internal Labor Regulations in Colombia

RIT

The Internal Work Rules is a document that contains the rules and policies to be followed by employees and employers in a company or entity. It is used to establish the obligations and rights of workers and to ensure compliance with labor laws in Colombia. It is regulated by the Substantive Labor Code and the Ministry of Labor has issued several resolutions and circulars establishing the guidelines for the preparation, approval and modification of these regulations.

These regulations must be drawn up by the company or entity and must be in accordance with labor legislation. It must contain information on working conditions, working hours, breaks, vacations, remuneration, disciplinary measures and other provisions. It must also be approved by the Ministry of Labor, must be delivered to all persons working in the company and must be updated periodically to ensure that the policies and standards are in line with changes in labor legislation and the needs of the company or entity.

The Internal Work Regulations must contain:

• Identification of the company or entity: it must contain the name of the company or entity, its corporate name and address.
• Scope of application: it must indicate to which workers it applies and the conditions of entry and permanence in the company or entity.
• Working day: it must establish the length of the working day, the working hours and the breaks to which workers are entitled.
• Salaries and social benefits: it must establish the salary of workers and the benefits to which they are entitled.
• Vacations: it must establish the rules that regulate employee vacations, including the duration and the way in which they are granted.
• Leaves of absence and leaves of absence: it must establish the rules that regulate the leaves of absence and leaves of absence to which employees are entitled.
• Disciplinary policies: must establish the sanctions and disciplinary measures applicable in the event of non-compliance with the rules of the internal work regulations.
• Rights and duties: it must establish the rights and duties of workers, including respect for the rules of the company or entity.

Necessity and usefulness of RIT

These regulations may contain other provisions that the company considers pertinent as long as they are in accordance with labor standards.

The Internal Work Rules are necessary for companies for the following reasons:

• Establish clear rules: having clear rules avoids conflicts and misunderstandings between workers and the company.
• Ensure compliance with labor laws: the regulations must be in accordance with labor regulations, so that, through their preparation and compliance, respect for workers’ rights is guaranteed.
• Promote a healthy work environment: the regulations establish guidelines for a healthy and productive work environment, which can improve the performance and well-being of workers.
• Facilitating human resources management: these regulations can facilitate human resources management by establishing rules and policies governing labor relations and providing a guide for decision making.

In Colombia, any employer employing more than 5 workers on a permanent basis in the case of commercial companies, more than 10 in the case of industrial companies or more than 20 in the case of agricultural, livestock or forestry companies. In the case of joint ventures, they must have it whenever they employ more than 10 workers on a permanent basis, as established in Article 105 of the Substantive Labor Code.

References:

• Substantive Labor Code. (n, f.). Senate Secretariat. http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/codigo%5Fsustantivo%5Ftrabajo.html#1
• Internal Labor Regulations – Empitalito. (n, f.). https://empitalito.gov.co/es/reglamento-interno-de-trabajo/#:~:text=El%20Reglamento%20Interno%20de%20Trabajo,de%20los%20trabajadores%20al%20empleador
• Internal work regulations. (n, f.). com. https://www.gerencie.com/reglamento-interno-de-trabajo.html