Chile reshapes business relations with older people

On June 1, 2026, Chile published Law No. 21,822, the Comprehensive Law on Older Persons and the Promotion of Dignified, Active and Healthy Ageing, which establishes a new protection framework and redefines how companies must interact with older people, both as consumers and as workers.

The analysis was prepared by Fernando Jamarne, partner at Alessandri, and Francisco Espinoza, director of the firm’s Labour Practice.

Beyond its social objective, the law introduces concrete changes to business models involving ticket sales and access to cultural events —including art, theatre and musicals— and sporting events, as well as to labour management, particularly employment contracts and working hours.

The law also raises the applicable standards in areas that frequently give rise to legal contingencies, including non-discrimination, physical and digital accessibility, customer service and complaint handling.

In practice, this means that many decisions that are currently operational or commercial in nature —such as ticket sales, customer service or the assignment of duties to older workers— will acquire a legal dimension involving the promotion of rights and the establishment of safeguards.

Implementation errors may result not only in regulatory non-compliance, but also in consumer complaints, scrutiny by regulatory authorities and reputational risks associated with age discrimination.

The law will take effect on June 1, 2027, making this period critical not only for compliance, but also for adjusting processes, aligning internal teams and preventing contingencies in day-to-day operations.

Event producers: ticket quotas and discounts

Companies organising sporting, cultural or artistic events must reserve at least 5% of their tickets for older people, maintain that availability during the first 48 hours from the beginning of the presale or sale period and apply a discount of no less than 50% of the ticket price.

These discounted tickets must be advertised through the relevant sales channels, and the benefit may also be exercised through online platforms.

The tickets will be personal and non-transferable, and proof of age may be required.

In practice, these new requirements will require companies to redesign their sales structures, the information provided to the public and their event access control systems.

They will also affect the pricing structure and profit margins of the relevant event.

These obligations are linked to consumer non-discrimination rules, meaning that incorrect implementation may result in complaints, proceedings before the authorities and reputational exposure.

New employment regime for workers aged 60 or over

The law introduces a special voluntary regime into the Labour Code, allowing greater flexibility in the employment relationship.

Under this regime, employers and employees may agree on more flexible working hours, either through time bands or through the free distribution of working hours within the company’s operations, provided that statutory limits are observed.

The law also requires assigned duties to be compatible with the worker’s physical condition, reinforcing the employer’s duty of care and safety.

It also permits the parties to agree on the suspension of the employment contract without loss of seniority and allows employees to use advance annual leave from the seventh month onwards.

These tools may be useful for companies operating on an event basis or experiencing fluctuations in workload.

However, their implementation requires care, as incorrect definitions of duties, working hours or contractual conditions may create employment risks and other legal contingencies.

What companies should review now

The law requires companies to plan proactively rather than react after implementation.

For event producers, the focus should be on reviewing how tickets are sold, how information is provided to the public and how access is managed, incorporating the benefit without disrupting operations or exposing the company to claims.

Employers will need to review existing contracts for workers aged 60 or over and assess, based on the company’s particular circumstances, whether it is advisable to adopt the new regime.

It will also be essential to design the flexible working arrangements appropriately, whether through time bands or the free distribution of working hours, establishing clear rules on notice, the frequency of changes and compliance monitoring.

Companies are also advised to strengthen their criteria for assigning duties by incorporating occupational health assessments supporting their compatibility with the worker’s physical condition.

They will also need to define how contract suspensions will operate, including when they may be used, how long they may last and under what conditions work will resume.

Attendance tracking systems will likewise need to be adapted to these new working arrangements.

Law No. 21,822 not only creates benefits for older people, but also introduces specific obligations that directly affect business operations and the way companies interact with this group in both commercial and employment contexts.

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