Spain's Council of State rejects digital time tracking decree – Ministry pressing ahead anyway

Spain’s Council of State has issued a nearly 100-page unfavourable opinion on the government’s proposed mandatory digital time tracking decree, citing excessive costs for businesses, data protection concerns, lack of sector-specific adaptation, and an unrealistic 20-day compliance window.

Despite the rejection, Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz has confirmed the decree will proceed with “minor adjustments” to data protection and collective bargaining provisions. CEOE (Spain’s main employer federation) has announced it will challenge the decree in court if approved by the Council of Ministers. Once published in the BOE, all employers – including those currently using paper records – will have just 20 days to implement a compliant digital system.