PEC that proposes reduction in weekly working hours returns to the Senate agenda
The proposal to reduce weekly working hours in Brazil is back on the agenda of the National Congress. PEC 148/2015, currently being processed in the Federal Senate, proposes reducing the maximum workload from 44 to 40 hours per week, without reducing the salary.
Authored by then-senator Paulo Paim (PT-RS), the text is under analysis by the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) and must undergo public hearings with representatives of the government, unions and the productive sector before going to the plenary.
Although the issue has the support of part of the unions and is seen as a social advance, the measure is also seen as capable of increasing labor costs, reducing competitiveness and requiring productive reorganization in labor-intensive sectors, such as industry, commerce and civil construction.
FREE LIST
10 small caps to invest in
The list of stocks from promising sectors on the Stock Exchange
Haddad says the government will send 2 alternative projects to Congress to MP 1,303
MP, considered essential by the government to balance the 2026 budget, lost its validity at the beginning of this month after being removed from the Chamber’s voting agenda
STF: Alcolumbre defended Pacheco, but Lula has ‘conviction’ about Messias, says Jaques
President and head of the Senate met on Monday. Nomination for the Supreme Court is pending after Lula’s return from Asia
According to a study released by DIEESE (Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies), reducing working hours from 44 to 40 hours could generate 3.6 million new formal jobs and generate R$9.2 billion in wages. A 36-hour week would have the potential to create 8.8 million jobs in the country.
The survey highlights that reducing working hours would also have positive effects on consumption and revenue, by increasing income and formalizing employment.
DataSenado surveys carried out in 2024 indicate that 54% of Brazilians believe that a shorter journey would bring an improvement in quality of life, while 51% believe that the measure would be beneficial for the country. Furthermore, 85% of workers stated that they would have a better quality of life with an extra day off per week, while maintaining their current salary.
Case study
Among the references cited in the study, the 4-Day Week pilot, coordinated by FGV in 2024, involved 19 companies and 243 workers. The average working day fell from 43 to 35 hours per week, with productivity maintained and symptoms of anxiety and insomnia reduced.
DIEESE also recalls the reduction in working hours from 48 to 44 hours per week made by the 1988 Constitution, which, according to the study, did not generate unemployment and resulted in an increase in hourly wages between 8.8% and 16.7%.
Despite positive projections, industry federations and employers, such as FIEMG, warn that reducing hours without adjusting pay could pressure margins, increase costs and slow down hiring in segments with a strong dependence on labor.
The impact of the proposal varies depending on the sector.
Services, retail and tourism tend to benefit most from job creation and increased domestic demand. Industry, logistics and civil construction may face additional costs and the need for scale replanning.
On the other hand, sectors with greater automation and digitalization, such as technology, energy and finance, would be more capable of absorbing change without major losses in efficiency.
Currently, Brazil has one of the longest working hours in Latin America: 44 hours a week, compared to 42 in Colombia and 40 in Chile, which is implementing a gradual reduction until 2028. In Portugal and France, the working day is 40 and 35 hours, respectively.
PEC 148/2015 still needs to be voted on in the CCJ before going to the Senate plenary.
