Colombia introduce nuevas reglas para castigar la Intermediación laboral ilegal
María Camila Castiblanco, Peña Mancero Abogados
Mediante Resolución 2021 del 29 de mayo de 2018, el Ministerio del Trabajo de Colombia, estableció los lineamientos de la Administración para determinar las prácticas de intermediación laboral ilegal, mediante las cooperativas o pre-cooperativas de trabajo, contrato sindical, empresas asociativas de trabajo y contratistas independientes.
El Ministerio señala que las Direcciones Territoriales deberán analizar la contratación con terceros, y cuando se trate de contratistas independientes para el desarrollo de actividades misionales, analizará, entre otras cosas:
- Si el contratista hace las mismas o sustancialmente las mismas labores que realizan los trabajadores del contratante y a qué tipo de labores corresponden dentro de las actividades propias del contratante;
- Si los trabajadores actuales del contratista han sido trabajadores del contratante o de cualquier otro contratista que este último haya tenido;
- Si el contratista tiene autonomía en el uso de los medios de producción en la ejecución de los procesos o subprocesos que se contraten;
- Si el contratista ejerce frente a sus trabajadores la potestad reglamentaria y disciplinaria, o, por el contrario, si la misma la ejerce el contratante;
- Si el contratista y el contratante incurren en conductas violatorias de los principios y normas laborales vigentes en la celebración o ejecución de la figura que los une.
De esta manera, la Resolución limita la intermediación laboral a:
- El envío de trabajadores en misión para colaborar de manera temporal a empresas en el desarrollo de sus actividades, conforme lo establece el artículo 71 de la Ley 50 de 1990 y el Decreto 4369 de 2006. Por lo tanto, esta actividad no está permitida a ninguna persona natural o jurídica que no esté debidamente acreditada como empresa de servicios temporales mediante la autorización emitida por el Ministerio del Trabajo; y
- El servicio de intermediación en la gestión y colocación contenida en el Servicio Público de Empleo, en donde las empresas que adelantan este servicio deben cumplir con las normas legales y reglamentarias sobre la materia.
La anterior Resolución implica una mayor regulación frente a la intermediación laboral, toda vez que por primera vez, el Ministerio de manera clara establece cuáles son los indicios que se deberán tener en cuenta para determinar si se está en un caso de intermediación laboral, parámetros que resultan clave tanto para las entidades administrativas como para los jueces laborales para identificar estas situaciones, y en efecto, una mayor potestad sancionatoria por parte de las entidades administrativas y de declaraciones de contratos realidad por parte de los jueces laborales.
Así mismo, mediante esta nueva Resolución se limita el campo de la intermediación laboral, de tal manera que se limita la intermediación laboral a dos (2) escenarios: por medio de las Empresas de Servicios Temporales, debidamente autorizadas por el Ministerio del Trabajo y en los casos que permite la Ley, en los casos permitidos por la misma, y la que se realiza con ocasión al Servicio Público de Empleo, razón por la cual las empresas al no contratar el personal de manera directa, deberán tener en cuenta los parámetros establecidos en esta Resolución para así evitar una intermediación laboral ilegal.
La anterior Resolución implica el riesgo para las empresas que deciden tercerizar sus actividades misionales permanentes, entendidas estas como “aquellas actividades o funciones directamente relacionadas con la producción de bien o servicios característicos de la empresa” (artículo 1, Decreto 2025 de 2011), de si esta intermediación es realizada por medio de una Empresa de Servicios Temporales, se deberá verificar que la tercerización sea efectivamente autónoma y no se trate de una tercerización aparente, y que ésta no se esté tratando de ocultar y/o afectar el acceso al empleo y el derecho al trabajo, los derechos constitucionales, legales y prestacionales consagrados en las normas laborales vigentes, so pena de incurrir en multas de hasta 5.000 salarios mínimos legales mensuales vigentes.
Adicional a la sanción administrativa, en el caso de una eventual demanda por parte del contratista en donde pretenda reclamar la existencia de un vínculo laboral con la empresa contratante, el hecho de que se haya declarado la intermediación laboral ilegal, constituirá un indicio grave en contra de declaratoria de contrato realidad.
Labor Reform Approved in Second Debate in the House of Representatives
The House of Representatives approved the labor reform bill presented by the National Government with 93 votes in favor and 13 against. The approved bill contains 81 articles, including provisions for increasing remuneration on mandatory rest days from 75% to 100%, to be phased in by 2027; formalizing employment for community mothers; establishing employment contracts for SENA students; and providing paid leave for medical appointments, school commitments, union commissions, or domestic emergencies, and extending paternity leave to up to 4 weeks.
Articles removed include parental leave for same sex adopting couples, increased compensation for dismissal without just cause, and the agricultural contract.
Eight articles were added addressing formalization and employment for cargo and passenger transportation workers, programs for first and last employment, promotion of sustainable work, flexible work environments, among others.
The bill will now proceed to the Seventh Senate Committee for the final two debates.
Resolution No. 532 of 2024 UGPP: Establishing a Cost Assumption Scheme for Self-employed Workers and Those Who Enter Contracts
Recently, the Special Administrative Unit of Pension Management and Social Security Contributions (“UGPP” by its initials in Spanish) issued Resolution 532 of 2024, establishing a cost assumption scheme for self-employed workers and those who enter contracts other than personal service provision contracts, involving subcontracting and/or the purchase of supplies or expenses, based on the economic activities listed in the International Standard Industrial Classification (CIIU). This scheme also applies to cases where the economic activity is public motor freight transport by road, as a method to establish the base contribution income (IBC).
To apply the presumed cost coefficient, the obligated party must refer to the section of economic activities generating their monthly gross income during the period they received it and apply the corresponding cost percentage.
If the income comes from multiple economic activities, the corresponding cost percentage for each activity must be applied.
Specifically, for the public motor freight transport sector by road, a general cost presumption scheme was defined for self-employed workers and for employers who have verified social security contributions for the drivers they have employed. They can deduct the cost percentage established in the resolution, based on the range of gross income and the number of drivers.
As an exception, a different cost percentage can be set, provided supporting documents are available and requirements established in Article 107 of the Tax Code are met without exceeding the values included in the income tax return.
This resolution will apply from November 1, 2024.
Ministry of Labor Proposes Regulations for Reporting Major Incidents or Accidents in Classified Facilities
The Ministry of Labor has published a draft resolution to regulate procedures for reporting major incidents and accidents in classified facilities, aligning with international industrial safety standards to promote a safer and more responsible work environment.
The draft specifies that the person responsible for the facility must report any major incident or accident within two hours of occurrence, using the Ministry’s designated digital tool.
The resolution also defines criteria for classifying an event as a major incident, including severe injuries, fatalities, property damage, and significant chemical containment losses.
The responsible party must expand the report as the emergency response concludes and calculate annual process safety metrics, reporting them through the same digital tool.
New rules on paternity leave introduced in Colombia
Author: Daniel Salazar López
The Colombian Congress has passed Act 2141 (August 10, 2021) whereby a further protection has been granted to parents. Act 2141 incorporates several new provisions on labor matters and, in particular, on maternity and paternity privileges. The following are the most important aspects of the new law:
- Maternity leave was extended from three (3) months to eighteen (18) weeks after childbirth.
- Unless an authorization is obtained from the Labor Inspector, or the Municipal Mayor in the corresponding case, the dismissal of a worker, whose spouse, partner or permanent partner is pregnant or within eighteen (18) weeks after childbirth and is not formally employed, is prohibited. If dismissal occurs, the dismissed employee shall be entitled to the additional payment of an indemnity equivalent to sixty (60) days of salary.
- In addition, the indemnities and benefits that correspond by virtue of the employment contract shall be recognized.
- Paternity leave is not extended to the worker when his/her spouse, partner or permanent partner is in stable employment.
- Maternity leave is also extended to the parents in the same proportion during the 18 weeks following childbirth.
- The worker must notify the employer, verbally or in writing, of the pregnancy status of his/her spouse, partner or permanent partner and declare under oath that he/she does not have a stable job or that he/she is not a beneficiary of the Social Security Health System. Within the notification, the worker must present the necessary examinations and for this purpose she will have a term of up to one (1) month to prove the pregnancy status.
This new legislation is intended to protect the constitutional right to equality between men and women in the work environment and in harmony with the family environment.
Proposed amendments to the financial habeas data law in Colombia
CAUSE FOR DISOLUTION OF COMPANIES DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE HYPOTHESIS OF CONTINUING BUSINESS
