Government Delays Decree Ending 6x1 Work Scale Until Lula Returns

Overview

• The government postponed publication of the implementing decree on Monday to wait for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s return and a planned signing ceremony.
• The Supreme Federal Court held a conciliation hearing on implementation on Tuesday to consider business requests for longer transition periods and other legal challenges.
• The constitutional change, already promulgated, still requires businesses to cut weekly hours to 42 on December 16 and to 40 a year later unless courts order otherwise.
• Ministry of Labour proposals prioritize collective bargaining as the default method to set which days workers take their two weekly rests and guarantee at least eight days off per 30 days.
• Practical hurdles remain for continuous-operation sectors such as health, transport, security and 12x36 regimes, and employers warn short private-sector timelines could raise costs, require contract changes and prompt more litigation.