Brazil: Strategic developments in Brazil
Congress enacts amendment ending the 6x1 schedule; 5x2 scale begins in 60 days The National Congress enacted, this Friday (16th), Constitutional Amendment No. 141 of 2026, which ends the schedule of six working days and only one of rest (6x1) and provides for the 5x2 scale, with two days off per week, for all workers in Brazil within two months. The new Amendment was enacted in a solemn session with the participation of the presidents of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP); the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB); and the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Related news: Foreign press sees Lula's victory in approval of the end of 6x1. The end of the 6x1 schedule brings hope for more time for family and health. CUT praises the end of the "crushing" 6x1; CNI wants to review the approved PEC. Ministers of state, senators, and deputies from the allied base filled the Senate plenary. Opposition leaders did not attend the session. The president of Congress, Davi Alcolumbre, highlighted that the impacts of the measure "are incalculable". “How much is more time to take care of oneself and loved ones worth? For millions of people who have to work six, sometimes seven days a week, the answer is simple, these things are priceless, they have value.” Alcolumbre added that it took "a lot of courage" to face a subject that "so many people preferred to leave for later". “A subject that divides opinions, that affects labor relations and touches the lives of millions of families. When the topic is complex, it is most comfortable to let it go and not face it. But the Brazilian legislature chose the right path, not the easy path,” added the Senate president. The president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta, stated that the end of the 6x1 reaches millions of Brazilians who “wake up before dawn, cross entire cities and dedicate a large part of their days to work”. Motta added that the impacts of the change for micro and small businesses will be mitigated by the approval of the increase in the annual revenue limit for MEIs from the current R$ 80,000 to R$ 110,000 in 2027 and R$ 140,000 in 2028. “The text also allows the hiring of up to two employees per micro-entrepreneur, thus ensuring that the MEI can have one more employee than currently allowed. After all, strengthening the MEI is strengthening millions of Brazilian families,” Motta added. After the enactment, President Lula celebrated the measure and criticized the groups that attacked the PEC, alleging that it would bankrupt Brazil. “I remember the 13th salary campaign, in the early 1960s, it was the same thing: it will break companies! It will sink companies! Around the world, this doesn't happen. It didn't break companies. The concrete fact is that every time workers achieve a benefit, they live a little longer, they have a little more pleasure in life,” he highlighted. Understand the new amendment The amendment approved on Wednesday also provides for a gradual reduction of the working day from the current 44 hours to 40 hours per week, without salary reduction, within a transition period of 14 months. Born out of pressure from the streets and responding to a historical demand from workers and unions, the proposal had its processing concluded last Wednesday (14th) in the Senate, with 75 votes in favor against 1, from former vice-president and senator Hamilton Mourão (Republicanos-RS). Supported by the government, the vote also had the support of the opposition, which was against the PEC and tried to prevent the vote this week. After the session was scheduled, however, the opposition released the bench, which voted overwhelmingly for the end of the 6x1. The new rule establishes the mandatory two days of rest per week, in addition to reducing the working day from the current 44 hours to 40 hours per week. All this without salary reduction. >> Click here and understand the PEC The text allows, on the other hand, compensation for Saturday or Sunday worked in the case of categories with special working hours. The number of paid days off, however, must be maintained at two per week, on average, taken compulsorily in the same month. The PEC still allows for differentiated working hours for workers with a higher education diploma who currently receive R$ 21,188.87 or more, provided that the 5x2 schedule is maintained. In these cases, direct negotiation between employer and employee should define the working hours. The proposal provides that a subsequent complementary law may establish transitional measures to mitigate the impacts of the reduction in working hours for individual micro-entrepreneurs (MEIs), micro-enterprises, and small businesses. Transition The implementation of the reduction in working hours from 44 to 40 hours will have a transition of up to 14 months. The exception are outsourced workers for public administration, who will have a differentiated transition rule. For all other workers, companies will have to guarantee the 5x2 schedule within 60 days, counting from today, as well as the reduction of the working day to 42 hours per week. Twelve months after this first reduction, the working day will drop to 40 hours. In the interval between the second and the 14th month after enactment, the employer must distribute, throughout the week, the two hours above the normal eight hours of service. If divided equally, the employee will have to work 8 hours and 24 minutes on five days of the week. Once the transition phase is completed, all employees must work a maximum of eight hours daily and 40 hours weekly over five days. To work more hours, overtime pay is required. See the transition rules of the PEC that ends the 6x1 schedule: - 5-day work schedule with 2 days off (after 60 days); - Reduction of the working day from 44 hours to 42 hours per week (after 60 days) - Working hours from 42 hours to 40 hours per week, maintaining the 5x2 schedule (in 14 months). Collective agreements The Constitutional Amendment also allows, exceptionally, and through a collective labor agreement or convention, for a compensatory regime to be established that allows a schedule other than 5x2. In these cases, workers must be compensated within the same "calendar month", guaranteeing "the enjoyment of at least one of the days within the maximum period of one working week". That is, a worker can still work the 6x1 schedule, provided it is stipulated in a collective agreement. In this case, the extra day worked must be compensated with a day off within the same month. At the end of this month, they must have had, on average, the equivalent of two paid days off per week. In another paragraph, the Amendment allows a subsequent law to provide for different regimes for working hours and rest days, provided that the limits of 40 hours per week and two paid rest days per week are respected. State Outsourced Workers Companies that provide services to the State will have a period of 12 months after the amendment's enactment, and not 60 days like others, to end the 6x1 schedule for employees. The new working hours will take effect upon the formalization of the addendum to the companies' contract with the Public Power. However, contracts added after 60 days from the amendment's enactment will already have to observe the new working hours established by the PEC. Article expanded at 10:48 am and 11:15 am
Event details
These categories are assigned by an automated classifier and are not manually verified — they can be inaccurate or mislabelled. See how Newsmap classifies events.
Source
This event was reported on rssby @Agência Brasil. The summary above is an automated, neutral description; always consult the original report before relying on it.
Related reports
Other recent reports about the same actors or country: