SAO PAULO - Brazil's lower house of Congress approved late on Wednesday a constitutional amendment that reduces the statutory workweek from 44 hours to 40 hours, a policy promoted by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and intended to figure prominently in his re-election platform later this year.
The measure, which was adopted in a 461-19 vote in the second round in the Chamber of Deputies, would effectively eliminate a widespread practice in some industries - notably retail - of scheduling employees across six working days.
The amendment now advances to the Senate, where it must be ratified. If senators alter key provisions, the proposal could be returned to the lower chamber for further consideration.
Under the terms approved by deputies, the reduction to a 40-hour workweek would be implemented over a 14-month transition period. The workweek would be shortened by two hours within 60 days of the amendment becoming law, followed by a further two-hour reduction one year after that initial change.
The text also establishes that workers are entitled to at least two days off every week and that their pay will not be reduced as a result of the shorter hours. Further, the amendment delegates the definition of sector-specific rules and operational details to subsequent legislation.
The government has indicated that the new standard could apply to more than 37 million workers across Brazil.
President Lula, 80, who is expected to seek a fourth non-consecutive term in an October presidential election, framed the vote as a social gain for workers. "More than just hours on the clock, we are returning to workers the right to spend time with their families, to rest and to have a life beyond work," he wrote on social media after the approval.
The proposal follows recent developments elsewhere in the region. Earlier this year, Mexico's lawmakers passed legislation to progressively lower the statutory workweek to 40 hours from 48, although that law maintains only one rest day for every six days worked.
Legislative next steps and implementation
With the lower house vote complete, the amendment must clear the Senate. Lawmakers there may vote to accept the text as approved or propose modifications that could trigger additional votes back in the Chamber of Deputies. Detailed sectoral regulations and implementation measures will be fleshed out in later bills, leaving some specifics of coverage and enforcement to future legislative work.
The change represents both a statutory shift in labor standards and a political initiative tied to the administration's electoral strategy, with timing and final form dependent on the remaining legislative process.