Constitutional Amendment Proposal No. 221/2019 (“PEC”), which seeks to amend the Federal Constitution to reduce the maximum weekly working hours and increase the number of rest days, was approved in a vote by the House of Representatives on May 27, 2026.

The text approved thus far introduces significant changes to Article 7 of the Federal Constitution of Brazil, reducing the current maximum workweek from 44 hours to 40 hours and increasing the weekly paid rest period to two days, preferably on Sundays — all with no salary reduction and applicable to current employment agreements.

To accommodate different realities, the text provides that, through collective bargaining, it may be possible to establish a compensatory work schedule regime, provided that, on average, the two weekly rest days are maintained. Current clauses in collective bargaining agreements in force concerning working hours and weekly paid rest will lose effectiveness within 60 days from the publication of the PEC if they are incompatible with the new wording of the Federal Constitution.

The PEC also establishes an initial transition period for the reduction of working hours: up to 60 days after publication, the weekly working hours must be reduced to 42 hours, and then, up to 12 months after this initial period, the workweek must be reduced to 40 hours. Likewise, the increase to two days of weekly paid rest would only come into effect after 60 days.

The text further allows for supplementary legislation to establish transitional measures for individual microentrepreneurs, microenterprises, and small businesses; and employees considered “highly qualified” (those holding a higher education degree and earning more than 2.5 times the maximum social security benefit ceiling) are not subject to this law, unless otherwise provided by collective bargaining agreements or granted voluntarily by the employer.

After being approved in two rounds of voting by the House of Representatives, the PEC will proceed to the Federal Senate, where it must also be discussed and voted on in two rounds, requiring approval by at least three-fifths of the senators in each vote. If the text is approved without amendments, the proposal will be promulgated by the National Congress and will become part of the Federal Constitution.

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28 de maio de 2026