Between 2019 and 2025, labor productivity in Brazil showed an average annual growth of 0.6%, according to data released by the Central Bank (BC) in the April 2024 monetary policy report. Agriculture was the main sector contributing to this advance, while other segments registered modest or even negative variations in the same period.
However, the BC highlighted that the low productivity growth limits the possibility of an effective reduction in labor costs. Thus, the topic gained relevance in the context of discussions for the 2024 presidential elections, especially due to the proposal to reduce the weekly working hours from 44 to 40, maintaining the monthly salary.
The National Confederation of Industry (CNI) evaluated that the reduction of work hours, without salary adjustment, could cause a 0.7% contraction in Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which corresponds to about R$ 76.9 billion. The estimate is based on the increase in the value of the hour worked, since the monthly salary is maintained despite the reduction in working time.
At the same time, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta, confirmed that the Proposed Constitutional Amendment (PEC) aiming to eliminate the 6×1 work schedule will be analyzed by the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) next week, with a plenary vote expected by May 2024. The escalation of the debate reflects social mobilization, including strong adherence on social networks, and the action of parliamentarians in legislative projects.
The Minister of Labor, Luiz Marinho, informed that some organizations have already voluntarily reduced working hours as a prelude to public debate. According to the Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Guilherme Boulos, the government intends to submit a bill to establish the limit of 40 weekly hours without salary reduction.
Boulos added that the final text of the project should be completed in meetings scheduled for the coming days. However, the proposal faces resistance from the productive sector, which points to an increase in operational costs and the possibility of transferring these to the final product prices as consequences of the change in labor regulations.
The CEO of Avante Business Consulting, Benito Pedro Vieira Santos, emphasized that sectors requiring continuous operations, such as industry, logistics, and retail, may face significant impacts with the change in the work regime. He also highlighted that these changes might reverberate in the supply chain and clients, amplifying economic effects.
In the current scenario, the 6×1 schedule has been the target of protests and mobilizations, which have driven the progress of initiatives in the National Congress in 2024. Conversely, specialists warn that reducing working hours without productivity gains may pressure corporate margins and raise prices, depending on other economic factors.
Richard Domingos, director of Confirp Accounting, observed that the moment is marked by historically low unemployment levels and hiring difficulties, which contribute to a more intense debate about adjusting the working hours in the country. Therefore, the topic is expected to remain at the center of political and economic discussions in the coming weeks.
