Weekly working hours will be 40 hours with two days off and no reduction in wages; Planalto’s PL will also be voted on and will deal with regulations
The president’s government (PT) and the president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), reached an agreement this Wednesday (May 13, 2026) to move forward with the PEC at the end of the 6 X 1 scale and then vote on a bill on the topic.
The agreement establishes a maximum working day of 40 hours per week, 2 days off and maintenance of wages. The text is discussed in a special committee of the Chamber and should reach the plenary in May.
The decision was announced after a meeting held at the Chamber’s official residence. Participated in the meeting: ministers (Institutional Relations Secretariat), (Labor and Employment) and (Planning); the president of the special commission, Alencar Santana; and the PEC rapporteur, Leo Prates.
Watch (1min31):
According to Marinho, the PEC will only deal with the general guidelines for the change. Implementation details will be defined in the bill and in collective negotiations.
The Palácio do Planalto bill will serve to regulate the change. The agreement foresees voting on the text soon after the PEC. The proposal will define transition rules and specificities for each professional category, in addition to detailing points that cannot be included directly in the Constitution.
The minister stated that the Constitution will establish the reduction of the maximum working hours to 40 hours per week, the maintenance of salaries and 2 days off per week.
Marinho also stated that the implementation details will be the responsibility of infraconstitutional legislation and collective negotiations. According to him, regulation will need to consider differences between sectors of the economy and professional categories.
“In addition to the points of the PEC, the understanding moved towards the need for a bill, the basis of which will be the text already sent by the Executive, to adapt the existing legislation to that established by the PEC”, declared the president of the Chamber in a note.
The government had already sent a project on the topic to Congress. Planalto’s political articulation assesses, however, that a new text could be presented if the Chamber deems it necessary during the processing.
Here is the full note:
“A meeting this morning between the president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta, and ministers José Guimarães (Institutional Relations) and Luiz Marinho (Labor) resulted in advances in the text of the PEC at the end of the 6×1 scale. The president of the special committee, Alencar Santana (PT-SP), and the rapporteur, Leo Prates (Republicanos-BA), participated in the work meeting.
“The proposed constitutional amendment will establish 40 hours of work per week, two days off, without salary reduction, and the respect and strengthening of collective labor agreements. In addition to the points of the PEC, the understanding led to the need for a bill, the basis of which will be the text already forwarded by the Executive, to adapt the existing legislation to that established by the PEC.
Minister Bruno Moretti (Planning), the government leader in the Chamber, Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS), and deputies Reginaldo Lopes (PT-MG) and Luiz Gastão (PSD-CE) also participated in the meeting.”
