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Brazil Shortens Work Week from Six to Five Days Amid Region’s Declining Productivity
Brazil has become the latest Latin American country to push for improved worker conditions by shortening the working week. The region has some of the world’s longest working hours, with laborers often exceeding 2,000 hours annually. Output per worker has decreased across much of Latin America in recent years.
May 8, 6:58 AM·1m read1 source
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Brazil moved to cut its working week to five days from the current six, becoming the latest Latin American country to push for improved worker conditions. The country joins others in the region in seeking better terms for workers amid some of the world’s longest working hours.
U.S. And close to 1,400 in Germany, Semafor reported. However some analysts have suggested that shorter working hours should come via increased productivity. Output per worker has decreased across much of Latin America in recent years.
Workers in Mexico, Latin America’s second-largest economy, produce less per hour than they did in 1981. The announcement comes as Latin America continues to grapple with stagnant productivity growth even as annual working hours remain elevated relative to major economies.
The shift in Brazil aims to address worker conditions while raising questions about how to lift output per worker across the region.
Semafor reported the development on May 8, 2026 at 6:58am EDT. The move positions Brazil among nations attempting to balance demands for improved labor standards with economic realities tied to productivity.
