Brazil Chamber of Deputies Passes Amendment to Cut Workweek to 40 Hours

Brazil's Chamber of Deputies approved a constitutional amendment in late May that would reduce the legal weekly working-hours cap from 44 to 40 and require two paid rest days. The measure passed 461–19 in a second-round vote and was sent to the Senate for ratification. The amendment was introduced by federal deputy Erika Hilton of the Socialism and Liberty Party.

Hilton said, "Working six days just to get one day off isn't a life. " About one-third of Brazilians in formal employment currently work a 6x1 schedule, six days on and one day off. The schedule is common in air travel, hotels, healthcare, retail, and food service.

A recent poll found that 63 percent of Brazilians support ending the 6x1 arrangement. Federal deputy Dandara Tonantzin of the Workers' Party said, "I know what it feels like to have swollen feet from standing for eight, 10, 12 hours. " Actress Letícia Colin posted on Instagram that "6x1 is a political project.

Federal deputy Kim Kataguiri, who voted against the amendment, warned that the change would not deliver the promised results. "I am not going to lie to a worker and tell him that just because the constitution now says his schedule will be 5x2, that will happen in practice," he said. " Service workers in Brazil are typically paid a fixed monthly salary rather than an hourly wage.

Because the amendment would bar employers from cutting pay to match the shorter schedule, businesses would pay the same monthly wage for roughly 10 percent fewer hours. The informal sector accounts for about 40 percent of Brazilian workers. Many 6x1 employees already work informally and would not be covered by the new rules.

Brazil's minimum wage is roughly $300 a month. The amendment would primarily affect lower-earning formal workers. com reported that the measure could raise the hourly cost of formal labor without increasing productivity, potentially leading employers to hire fewer workers or shift more roles to the informal sector.