Fines for skipping labor conciliation are reviewed by labor courts
Subject-matter jurisdiction. The Collegiate Circuit Court specialized in labor matters hears appeals filed in indirect amparo against fines imposed by federal or local Labor Conciliation Centers.
Official heading (Spanish): COMPETENCIA POR MATERIA. CORRESPONDE AL TRIBUNAL COLEGIADO EN MATERIA DE TRABAJO CONOCER DE LOS RECURSOS INTERPUESTOS EN AMPARO INDIRECTO CONTRA LA MULTA IMPUESTA POR CENTROS DE CONCILIACIÓN LABORAL, FEDERAL O LOCAL.
The ruling
Two Regional Plenary Courts disagreed on which court reviews appeals in amparo against fines imposed by Labor Conciliation Centers for non-appearance under article 684-E, section IV, of the Federal Labor Law. The SCJN Plenary held that the fine is part of the conciliation process and that labor Collegiate Circuit Courts have jurisdiction.
Our take
The ruling is procedural, but it matters to any employer fined for missing a conciliation hearing. The SCJN treats the fine as part of the labor justice system rather than as an administrative penalty. That settles the forum, and it will likely shape the review standard as well: a procedural duty within an employer-employee dispute. Our view is that the best defense is not to incur these fines at all; missing the hearing also forfeits the chance to settle before trial. Where a fine already exists, frame the amparo in labor terms.
What to do
- Assign a representative with a valid power of attorney to attend every pre-trial conciliation hearing.
- Review recent non-appearance fines and frame any challenge on labor-law grounds.
Details
- Court
- SCJN Plenary
- Type
- Binding precedent (jurisprudencia)
- Identifier
- P./J. 215/2026 (12a.)
- Digital registry
- 2032836
- Published
- October 30, 2026
- Area
- Labor and social security
- View official source ↗
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Prepared by Artegia for information only; not legal advice. Headings in English are unofficial translations. The official text is the one published in the Semanario Judicial de la Federación or the TFJA journal.