Brazil Senate Votes to Eliminate Six Day Customary Workweek

The Brazilian Senate voted 75 to 1 to end the country's customary six-day workweek, Good News Network reported. The change was achieved through Proposed Amendment to the Constitution 221, known as PEC 221. The passage establishes a standard 40-hour workweek with two days of paid rest for workers in South America's largest economy. [1]

Prior to the vote, Brazil maintained a customary six-day schedule where full-time employment was defined as 44 hours per week, according to Good News Network. The outlet reported that Brazil had been one of the richest nations globally to retain the extended weekly schedule. [1]

Brazil is the largest country in South America and the world's fifth-largest country by area. It is home to over 214 million people and is organized as a federation of 26 states alongside a Federal District hosting the capital, Brasília. [2]

Constitutional amendments modify the official governing text of a polity by directly altering sections or appending supplemental additions. The new measure brings Brazil into parity with international working hour standards, such as the standard 40-hour week used in the United States. [1][4]