On July 15, 2023, the Federal Center for Mediation and Labor Registration (Federal Center) took an important step toward modernizing Mexico’s labor law system by implementing the National Registry of Representation Credentials (RENPE). This innovative digital tool aims to simplify individual pre-trial labor conciliation procedures, thus speeding up the resolution of labor disputes.
The new Registry provides for the issuance of an identity card (ID), similar to a voter registration card, which will contain the following information: registration number, company name, name of the legal representative and the date it was issued. The RENPE allows for the registration of notarial instruments detailing information of legal representative, and creates a certificate containing a unique QR code that includes the key information described above. This certificate becomes an official form of identification which certifies the accredited and recognized authority of the legal representative.
When the legal representative attends a hearing, he or she must, before appearing, show his or her ID to the mediator, who must submit it to a reading of the QR code, which will enable the mediator to immediately identify if such person is already registered with the Federal Center and, as a consequence, may appear at individual mediation hearings before any office of the Federal Center.
During the hearings, legal representatives will be able to display their ID and the mediator will be able to scan the QR code to quickly verify the authenticity and validity of the record. This streamlines the process and avoids potential confusion or delays in resolving labor cases. Article 684 of the Federal Labor Law provides that mediators have legal authority to attest to documents and, therefore, they can certify that the instruments with which the parties demonstrate their authority are true, and must also keep them in the file of the proceeding.
The RENPE represents a significant advance in the digitization and modernization of the Mexican labor law system, facilitating the work of legal representatives and promoting a more efficient judicial system. Undoubtedly, this implementation marks a milestone in the digital transformation of the legal field.
It is under this premise that the Federal Center intends to achieve expedited justice in the labor law arena, which will benefit parties who often do not have the time or resources to defend their rights.
Finally, beginning July 17, 2023, all documents submitted for validation began to be reviewed, to subsequently issue appointments to compare said documents against the relevant originals, which will need to be provided just once. The foregoing process will occur before any mediator will be able to validate the information that is being provided and make it clear that the submitted documents are true copies of the documents that were presented online at the time of registration.
