Is there a 4-day week in Brazil?
No. Brazil has no 4-day week law, but Congress promulgated Constitutional Amendment 141 on 16 October 2026. It will end the 6x1 schedule (six working days, one rest day) by guaranteeing two paid rest days a week, and cuts the maximum week from 44 to 40 hours in two steps. That is a five-day, 40-hour week, not a four-day one.
The 40-hour text replaced earlier proposals, including one for a 36-hour week and PEC 8/25, which set the same working time over four days. Neither was adopted. The first step, to 42 hours for workers under the CLT labour code, comes two months after promulgation, which Agência Senado dates to 15 December 2026. 40 hours follows 14 months after promulgation, with no pay cut. Workers with a degree and pay of R$ 21,188.88 or more are exempt from the working-hours rules, according to the Chamber's explainer, but keep the two rest days.
A 2024 pilot run by 4 Day Week Brazil tested the 4-day week under 4 Day Week Global's 100-80-100 model (100% of salary for 80% of working hours). Twenty-one companies with about 280 employees began and 19 finished. In the final survey, staff reported weekly hours falling from 42.8 to 36.5, and 71.5% reported higher productivity. The results are self-reported, and the report says revenue gains cannot be credited to the shorter week alone.
Latest developments
Congress promulgates amendment ending the 6x1 schedule
Constitutional Amendment 141 cuts the maximum week from 44 to 40 hours in two steps and guarantees two paid rest days a week. It sets a five-day week, not a four-day one.
Agência Câmara: Congresso promulga emenda que acaba com escala 6x1 (opens in new tab)Senate approves the 40-hour amendment
The Senate approved the text unchanged, by 75 votes to 1 in both rounds, and sent it for promulgation.
Agência Senado: Senado aprova fim da escala 6x1 (14 Oct 2026) (opens in new tab)Chamber of Deputies passes the 40-hour amendment in two rounds
PEC 221/19 passed the first round by 472 votes to 22 and the second by 461 to 19. The text replaced earlier proposals for a 36-hour week and for the same hours over four days.
Agência Câmara: Câmara aprova em dois turnos fim da escala 6x1 (opens in new tab)4 Day Week Brazil publishes one-year pilot follow-up
A December 2024 survey of 19 companies and 243 employees found average weekly hours of 35, down from 43 in December 2023 and short of the 32-hour goal.
4 Day Week Brazil: 1 ano, Piloto da Semana de 4 Dias no Brasil (January 2025) (opens in new tab)
4-day-week trials in Brazil
What each pilot reported. Figures are the organiser's own, from the linked report.
4 Day Week Brazil pilot
Run by 4 Day Week Brazil, Reconnect Happiness at Work; research by FGV-EAESP with 4 Day Week Global partners
- Jan 2024 – Jun 2024
- 21 companies
- 280 employees
Nine-month programme: three months of preparation from September 2023, then six months testing a 4-day week (January to June 2024) at 100% of salary for 80% of working hours. 21 companies (about 280 staff) began and 19 (252 staff) finished. Average weekly hours fell from 42.8 to 36.5. Self-reported survey; 80.2% of staff responded.
71.5% of participants reported higher productivity (a share of respondents, not a size of change). 72.7% of companies reported higher revenue and 63.6% higher profit than in the same period of 2023; the report says this cannot be attributed solely to the 4-day week.
- Mental health: The report states stress fell 14.5% and weekly anxiety 30.5% between December 2023 and July 2024. 72.8% of participants reported less frequent work-related exhaustion (a share of respondents), and 77.3% of participants rated their mental health good to excellent.
- Physical health: 73.7% of participants rated their physical health good to excellent; 43.6% exercised more than three times a week.
- Sleep: Average sleep rose from 6.7 to 7.0 hours a night.
Jobs in Brazil
Who offers a 4-day week in Brazil
We do not list a company with a 4-day week in Brazil yet.
Suggest a companyHow Brazil compares
Brazil, the labelled dot, against the other countries we cover.
Average weekly hours
21st shortest of 25 countries, 2.2 hours above the median of 37.3.
Netherlands 31.3 to South Africa 42.3
See all 25 countries
| Country | Hours |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | 31.3 |
| Denmark | 33.3 |
| Germany | 34.5 |
| Norway | 34.6 |
| Australia | 35.4 |
| Austria | 35.6 |
| Finland | 35.6 |
| Switzerland | 35.7 |
| Belgium | 36.0 |
| Ireland | 36.0 |
| United Kingdom | 36.3 |
| France | 36.9 |
| Sweden | 37.3 |
| Iceland | 37.4 |
| Japan | 37.5 |
| Spain | 37.5 |
| New Zealand | 37.6 |
| United States | 38.2 |
| Lithuania | 39.0 |
| South Korea | 39.4 |
| Brazil | 39.5 |
| Chile | 39.8 |
| Poland | 39.9 |
| Portugal | 40.0 |
| South Africa | 42.3 |
Usual weekly hours on the main job, all employed people, from the OECD (latest year, 2024 or 2025). It includes part-timers. No comparable figure for: Canada, Philippines, United Arab Emirates.
Statutory paid leave
Joint 8th longest of 26 countries, 2 days above the median of 20.
United Kingdom 28 to United States None
See all 26 countries
| Country | Days |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 28 |
| Austria | 25 |
| Denmark | 25 |
| Finland | 25 |
| France | 25 |
| Sweden | 25 |
| Iceland | 24 |
| Brazil | 22 |
| Portugal | 22 |
| Spain | 22 |
| Norway | 21 |
| Australia | 20 |
| Belgium | 20 |
| Germany | 20 |
| Ireland | 20 |
| Netherlands | 20 |
| New Zealand | 20 |
| Poland | 20 |
| Switzerland | 20 |
| Chile | 15 |
| South Africa | 15 |
| South Korea | 15 |
| Canada | 10 |
| Japan | 10 |
| Philippines | 5 |
| United States | None |
The legal minimum a year, in working days on a five-day week, before public holidays. Definitions differ: some countries set weeks or calendar days (converted here), the UK lets public holidays count and the United States has no national minimum. Each country page says what its number covers. No comparable figure for: Lithuania, United Arab Emirates.
Working in Brazil
Working hours
Private-sector employees may normally work no more than 8 hours a day (CLT Article 58). The weekly maximum is 44 hours today. Amendment 141 lowers it to 42 hours two months after promulgation (15 December 2026, according to Agência Senado) and to 40 hours 14 months after promulgation.
Paid leave and holidays
After each 12 months of employment, an employee is entitled to 30 calendar days of paid leave if they were absent no more than five times in that period (CLT Article 130). Thirty calendar days is four weeks and two days.