Given the advancement of the processing of proposals that aim to end the 6×1 work schedule, part of the National Congress is working to approve a new payroll tax exemption as a form of compensation for the productive sector.
In evaluating the parliamentary fronts linked to the productive sector, the government needs to present a counterpart to the change in the work schedule.
Deputy Domingos Sávio (PL-MG), president of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of Commerce and Services, stated that a reduction in working hours was reasonable, but demanded a contribution from the Executive.
“Relieve part of what the company pays in taxes on Folha. If the government reduces this tax, the company can reduce the hours worked and not have to pass it on to the consumer”, stated Sávio.
The Ministry of Finance, contacted by the press, did not comment on the articulation. However, the current administration’s actions have been aimed at gradually reimbursing sectors and municipalities that currently enjoy some tax benefit.
Even with the law approved in 2024, which reinstates social security contributions, the government insists on more fundraising measures to close the budget.
Government priority and reactions
The end of the 6×1 scale is treated as a priority by the government, which wants to see the matter approved in the first half of this year.
Centrão and opposition parliamentarians see room for negotiation, especially given the urgency with which the government wants to approve the text.
They already admit that, eight months before the election, it would be politically difficult to vote against a popular measure like this.
The CNI (National Confederation of Industry) argues that any change must consider the diversity of the country’s productive realities, the effects on economic sectors and companies of different sizes, in addition to regional disparities and the impact on competitiveness and the creation of formal jobs.
Fiscal impact and revenue
Experts warn that a new payroll tax exemption would have a significant impact on public accounts. The current exemption for some sectors already generates a loss in revenue of approximately R$30 billion in 2024.
An expansion of this measure could result in an even higher value, compromising the fiscal balance pursued by the government.
The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB) has already demonstrated that he is aligned with the government, declaring that he intends to .
Among the alternatives under discussion are a working day of five days with two days off (5×2), with a maximum of 40 hours per week, without salary reduction, or a gradual reduction in hours worked per week, going from the current 44 to 40 hours.
The is also on the agenda. Critics of the proposal argue that the discussion should focus on the low productivity of the Brazilian economy, which has remained stagnant for decades.
According to data presented, the productivity of a Brazilian worker corresponds to approximately a quarter of the productivity of an American or German worker, which would require a broader approach to the problem.
