Brazil Moves to a 40-Hour Workweek, Ending the 6x1 Schedule

Overview

• House leaders and the government, in an agreement confirmed Wednesday, set a 40-hour cap with two weekly days off and no pay cut, placing the core rule in a constitutional amendment and leaving specifics to a separate bill.
• The special committee is set to vote May 27, with a Chamber plenary vote expected the next day, and allies say Senate President Davi Alcolumbre would take up the measure the following week.
• Labor Minister Luiz Marinho said Thursday there will be no tax breaks or fiscal offsets for employers, rejecting proposals to compensate companies for shorter hours.
• Industry groups led by Fiesp oppose the plan, warn of costs and competitiveness risks, threaten legal action, and a pro-business caucus says House leaders aim to confine sensitive changes to a later bill.
• Official data show about 58.38% of formal workers—roughly 35 million people—are on 41–44-hour contracts, while IBGE reports the self-employed average about 45 hours, signaling broad effects for formal jobs and different impacts outside CLT rules.