Brazil’s congress has passed a constitutional amendment to cap the maximum working week at 40 hours, a measure that will impact approximately 30 million workers across the country. The amendment bans six-day workweeks, which are currently worked by 16 million people, and reduces the standard maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours. The change is expected to primarily affect workers in retail, restaurants, and hotels—sectors composed largely of low-wage employees.
The amendment represents a significant political moment for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has strongly championed the reform ahead of the presidential runoff scheduled for later this month. The proposal originated as a grassroots movement on social media called Life Beyond Work and was subsequently embraced by Lula and his party. His administration spent months advocating for the Senate to vote on the measure. Political analysts suggest the reform could benefit Lula’s campaign by addressing economic concerns among voters who have struggled to support him since 2022.
Flávio Bolsonaro, the far-right senator leading in first-round polling, initially opposed the amendment for months before reversing course on Tuesday, citing majority support among Brazilian workers. He ultimately voted in favor along with 74 other senators, with only former vice-president Hamilton Mourão voting against the measure. Bolsonaro’s party had considered blocking the vote, but internal polling indicated the proposal enjoyed support from more than 70 percent of the general population and more than half of his own voters.
Despite congressional approval, the changes will not take effect before the runoff. Following Senate promulgation, a 60-day period must elapse before six-day workweeks are abolished and the maximum workweek is reduced to 42 hours, with a further 14-month period before the 40-hour maximum takes effect. Political scientists suggest that even without immediate implementation, the amendment’s passage could influence voter sentiment by signaling concrete labor reforms.
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