Brazil’s planned rules to end the 6x1 work schedule could allow workers to have just one day off in some weeks, Labor Minister Luiz Marinho said Wednesday. The arrangement would have to be set out in a collective agreement and ensure at least eight days off each month.
That could mean alternating between a 6x1 schedule one week and a 4x3 schedule the next, Marinho said. The decree will not specify which categories of workers may use such arrangements; each company will determine whether the rules apply to its circumstances.
Marinho said the proposal is based on a constitutional amendment requiring two weekly rest days, while allowing those days to be consolidated within the month. He said collective labor agreements would play an essential role in setting schedules, within the amendment’s requirements.
The rules will not include exemptions: all workers must receive at least eight days off per month, and the working week must be reduced to 42 hours. Marinho said he had discussed with House Speaker Hugo Motta the possibility of adjusting Labor Ministry regulations to help different sectors meet the requirements.
The decree is expected to be published next Monday, after Marinho meets President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday.
Sources: Folha Mercado.