Government considers revising working hour regulations

Brazilian government is considering changing labor regulations to allow employers to hire for flexible working hours, an arrangement known as part-time work. The president's chief administrative aide, Gilberto Carvalho, was firm that the new rules will not be defined “top-down”, and that the matter is still in discussion.

“We can't introduce the new provisions until we have reached a firm consensus, because it involves changing long-established legislation. We will work closely with the Ministry of Labor to agree with trade unions and employers' sectors on whether we could introduce a new law on the issue. Anyway, it will still depend on consultations,” he said.

Introducing regulations for part-time work is a demand particularly in the retail sector, which expects to cut costs with overtime pay and ensure legal rest day rights to their employees, thus reducing legal disputes.

In the construction industry, Carvalho reported that the debate has moved further ahead to increase overtime for workers allocated in remote sites, away from where they live, who are interested in extending their working hours.

Translated by Mayra Borges