Brazil has formally ended the traditional 6×1 work schedule (six days on, one day off).
Constitutional Amendment No. 141/2026, which started as PEC 221/2019, reduces maximum weekly working hours in stages and gives employees two paid weekly rest days. The Chamber of Deputies approved the proposal on May 27, 2026, and the Federal Senate approved it on October 14, 2026. The amendment was published on October 16, 2026, and publication started the transition periods.
The Transition Timeline
| Date | Weekly hours | Paid weekly rest |
| October 16, 2026 | 44 hours. The current rule stays in effect and the two-month period begins. | One day |
| December 16, 2026 | 42 hours | Two days, with one preferably on Sunday |
| December 16, 2027 | 40 hours. This is the end of the transition period. | Two days, with one preferably on Sunday |
The Core Changes
- No salary reductions. Employers may not cut pay, including minimum salary levels, as hours go down.
- Collective bargaining. Provisions on working hours and rest that conflict with the new rules stop applying on December 16, 2026.
- Time-tracking exception. The general working-time and time-tracking rules do not apply to employees who meet two requirements together: they hold a university degree, and they earn more than 2.5 times the RGPS ceiling, which is BRL 21,189 in 2026.
Where the Impact Will Be Felt
The changes affect three areas:
- Operations: schedules, shifts, on-call arrangements, weekend work, and workforce sizing
- Costs and systems: hourly rate divisors, overtime, timekeeping, banks of hours, and how the second rest day affects commissions, overtime, and premiums
- Labor relations: review of collective bargaining agreements, union negotiations, and 2027 budget planning
A Practical Roadmap for Employers
- Take stock of current schedules. Audit how your workforce is scheduled today and flag every role that regularly exceeds 40 hours per week.
- Run the numbers. Estimate how shorter weeks and an extra rest day will change what you spend on overtime, commissions, rest-day pay, and related payroll costs.
- Revisit your documents and systems. Check that union agreements, hour-bank arrangements, hourly pay calculations, and payroll software line up with the new limits, and update employment contracts, workplace policies, and vendor contracts as needed.
- Prepare for staffing and budget shifts. Decide whether you will need more people to keep operations covered, build the changes into your 2027 budget, and adjust vacation scheduling.
- Bring the right people in early. Open talks with the relevant unions and coordinate internally across payroll, operations, and finance so everyone moves together.
The 42-hour week starts on December 16, 2026, so employers should start their action plan now.
For further information, please contact a member of our employment team.
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