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Senate Approves PL 331/2025 That Guarantees Telework Priority for People with Disabilities in Compatible Roles, Expanding Inclusion in the Market.
On February 24, 2025, the Federal Senate approved Bill 331/2025, which amends the Statute of People with Disabilities (Law 13.146/2015) and guarantees priority for people with disabilities to perform their professional activities in telework or home office arrangements, whenever the role is compatible. The proposal, reported in the Commission on Social Affairs (CAS), marks a historic advancement in inclusion policies by recognizing that remote work can eliminate physical barriers and expand employability opportunities.
The project still needs to be analyzed by the Chamber of Deputies before it becomes law, but it already represents a milestone in the debate on accessibility and labor rights.
What PL 331/2025 Says
The text proposes to include in the Statute of People with Disabilities a provision that ensures:
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- Preferential right to telework for people with disabilities, provided that the role is compatible with remote work;
- Application of the measure for both private companies and public administration bodies;
- Guarantee that the priority does not eliminate other rights already provided by law, such as the reservation of spots for people with disabilities in competitions and companies with more than 100 employees (art. 93 of Law 8.213/1991).
In practice, this means that in sectors where home office is already a reality, employees with disabilities will have preference over other workers.
How It Is Today and What Changes
Currently, Brazilian legislation provides for inclusion quotas for people with disabilities in public competitions and in private companies with more than 100 employees. However, there are no specific rules to prioritize telework.
With PL 331/2025, this gap will be filled, ensuring that whenever possible, a person with a disability has the right to perform their duties remotely, reducing accessibility barriers such as inadequate public transportation, buildings without adaptations, or long urban commutes.
The Social and Economic Impact of the Measure
According to data from IBGE (Continuous PNAD, 2023), Brazil has 18.6 million people with disabilities of working age. However, the employment rate of this group is only 28%, compared to 62% of the general population.
Among the main obstacles identified are:
- Mobility and transportation difficulties;
- Architectural barriers in companies and public agencies;
- Covert or explicit prejudice during the selection process.
With the priority for telework, experts believe it will be possible to significantly increase access for these individuals to the job market, reducing historical inequalities.
International Examples
The Brazilian proposal follows a global trend. Countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain have already adopted policies encouraging home office for people with disabilities, as a form of inclusion and combating structural unemployment.
In Canada, for example, the Accessible Canada Act provides for government-funded technological adaptations. In Spain, legislation requires companies to offer remote alternatives when the role allows.
With PL 331/2025, Brazil is getting closer to these models, aligning itself with international standards of accessibility.
The Debate in the Senate
During the discussions, the rapporteur emphasized that the measure does not impose significant additional costs on businesses, as it only guarantees priority when telework is already possible.
Senators from both the governing and opposition sides converged in the understanding that inclusion in the job market should not be seen as an expense, but as a social and economic investment.
Representatives from the business sector, in turn, advocated for adjustments to avoid interpretations that would force companies to create non-existent remote positions. The final text made it clear that the priority applies only when the activity is compatible.
Challenges for Implementation
Despite the advancement, experts warn of some practical challenges:
- Oversight: It will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Human Rights to monitor compliance with the law;
- Technological adaptation: many companies still do not have the adequate infrastructure to offer accessible home office;
- Legal certainty: it will be necessary to regulate details to avoid mass judicialization of telework requests.
Even with these points of concern, the overall assessment is that PL 331/2025 has great potential for positive impact.
Next Steps of the Proceedings
After approval in the Senate, the project goes to the Chamber of Deputies, where it will be analyzed by thematic committees before going to the Plenary. If approved, it will be sent for presidential sanction.
If there are no changes, the expectation is that the measure will come into effect as early as 2026, consolidating itself as a new labor right for people with disabilities.
PL 331/2025 goes beyond theory: it puts into practice what has been discussed for decades regarding inclusion in the job market. By guaranteeing telework priority for people with disabilities, the country recognizes that accessibility is not limited to ramps and elevators but also includes opportunities that respect the dignity and reality of each individual.
If sanctioned, the project will open the doors to a fairer and more competitive market, where talent and competence will have space without physical barriers dictating who can or cannot work.
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