Labor Rights

Technical staff dismissals and partisan hiring at Honduras's cultural ministry and national library are jeopardizing the preservation of the country's historical archives, with a historian removed after her internal-party voting record was publicly exposed.

Congress passed a reform to the Economic Reactivation Law establishing a temporary settlement mechanism to resolve pending claims by dismissed Family Guides against the state, allowing negotiated payment agreements.

More than 10,000 public employees, many of them Libre-party hires, have been fired under the controversial Economic Reactivation Law since February 2026, and labor unions report that as of late July many have not received their legally mandated severance payments.

A congressman from the Libre party has proposed a law to establish workplace rights and safety protections for women engaged in paid sex work, addressing what he says is a regulatory gap that has left them vulnerable to discrimination and violence.

The government approved a decree prohibiting imports of products made through forced labor, citing compliance with International Labour Organization conventions and protection of market access for Honduran exports to the United States and other key partners.

Honduras's liquidation commission says it will complete the operational closure of seven institutions created under the previous administration by August, with the Finance Ministry handling final administrative steps in September; audits have uncovered irregularities now under investigation.

Feminist and labor organizations are urging Congress to ratify two International Labour Organization conventions that would guarantee domestic workers access to social security, regulated hours, fair wages, paid leave, and protections against violence and discrimination.

CGT leader Daniel Durón argues that the part-time employment law has not reduced joblessness because the real problems are informal work (affecting 70% of the workforce) and low wages—80% of salaried workers earn under L10,000 (about $400) monthly.

Honduras's Supreme Court of Justice approved a 7% salary increase for all judicial employees—permanent, interim, and contract workers—effective in August, benefiting roughly 6,000 staff after the Finance Ministry transferred pending budget allocations.

Former prosecutors office staff fired since February 2026 filed a complaint against Attorney General Dagoberto Aspra alleging unjustified dismissals and nonpayment of severance and labor benefits, though Finance Ministry records show funds were transferred to the agency.

Pending congressional reforms to Honduras's electric sector guarantee that ENEE employees will retain their union affiliation and benefits even after the state utility is restructured into separate generation, distribution, and transmission companies, and explicitly reject any privatization.

Honduras's labor ministry and national AIDS commission reminded employers that demanding HIV tests for hiring, promotion, or employment is prohibited by law, with violators facing fines of one to five monthly minimum wages.

About 300 employees of Honduras's National Emergency System 911—ambulance staff, paramedics, and dispatchers—say they have not been paid for several months, with Human Resources offering no explanation for the delays that began when the current government took office.

Employees of Honduras's Judicial Branch are calling on the Finance Ministry to speed up delayed salary transfers, citing risks and uncertainty about their paychecks.

Over 5,000 app-based drivers in Honduras met with a congresswoman seeking labor protections and legal recognition, noting that companies like Uber lack a formal presence in Honduras, creating tax gaps and leaving workers without formal rights.