Brazil’s Senate has voted to change the country’s main law and cut working hours. The vote was 75 to one. Full-time workers usually work six days and 44 hours a week. The change brings the working week down to 40 hours. Workers will also get two paid days off each week.
The change will happen in steps. The working week will fall to 42 hours, and workers will get the extra day off, 60 days after the change passes. One year later, the working week will fall to 40 hours. This gives employers time to change work plans or find more workers. Employers and unions, groups that speak for workers, will agree on the days off.
The lower house also agreed to the same change in May. It does not need the president’s signature. Both the president and his election opponent supported it. The first plan, from 2019, was for a 34-hour week. This later changed to 40 hours. The last change to working hours was in 1988. Then, the working week fell from 48 to 44 hours.
