Brazil lower house approves 40-hour, five-day workweek amendment

The Story

Brazil’s lower house approved a constitutional amendment Wednesday establishing a 40-hour, five-day workweek, according to a single-source report by The Associated Press. The measure is part of a regional push that has been praised by labor rights groups and criticized by the business sector.

Key Facts

• Brazil’s lower house approved a constitutional amendment Wednesday for a 40-hour, five-day workweek.
• Currently, Brazilians work five eight-hour days plus four hours on a sixth day, totaling 44 hours per week.
• The amendment would end the six-day workweek without reducing pay for at least 37 million people and establish a 40-hour weekly limit.
• It guarantees two consecutive 24-hour rest days each week, preferably Saturdays and Sundays.
• Businesses have 14 months to adapt to the new rules.
• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sponsored the move and has promoted it.
• Lawmaker Paulo Pimenta, Brazil’s government whip in the lower house, said workers on the Monday-to-Saturday schedule “have to work the hardest and are paid the least.”
• Lawmaker Kim Kataguiri criticized the initiative, saying it could be “a problem for many companies” and that workers “might end up worse than they are now if business leaders stop hiring.”
• Lawmaker Leo Prates drafted the amendment in the lower house and said it “was built with a lot of responsibility.”
• The amendment now goes to Brazil’s Senate, which has not set a date for a vote and could make changes before President Lula’s approval.
• Lula’s main rival in the election, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, wants a flexible payment-by-the-hour strategy instead.
• Other Latin American countries have recently shortened workweeks: Mexico’s lower house in February approved a proposal to trim its 48-hour workweek gradually to 40 hours by 2030; Chile passed its 40-Hour Law in 2023, reducing to 40 hours last year.
• Argentina may extend its 48-hour workweek under President Javier Milei, with a labor overhaul extending the maximum workday to 12 hours and scrapping overtime pay.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

• When Brazil’s Senate will vote on the amendment and whether it will make changes before final approval.
• How many workers the change will ultimately affect beyond the 37 million mentioned.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – sponsored the amendment
• Lawmaker Paulo Pimenta – Brazil’s government whip in the lower house
• Lawmaker Kim Kataguiri – opposition lawmaker criticized the initiative
• Lawmaker Leo Prates – drafted the amendment in the lower house
• Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro – Lula’s main rival in the election
• President Claudia Sheinbaum – Mexican president whose proposal was approved
• President Javier Milei – Argentine president whose government extended work hours

Sources: abcnews.com