Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
6 min of reading 
0 comments 
These 7 Changes in 2026 Affect the 6×1 Scale, Sunday Rest Days, Weekly Work Hours, Mental Health, Minimum Wage Value, Compensation for Moral Damages, and Digital Supervision of FGTS and Labor Obligations, Effective from 2026 and Requiring Attention from Employees and Employers.
On December 10, PEC 148 of 2015 progressed in the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee and reopened the debate on reducing the working hours and the gradual end of the 6×1 scale, while the Planning Ministry confirmed on the same date the new minimum wage that will take effect in January 2026. At the same time, decisions from the Supreme Court, new ordinances from the Ministry of Labor, and the consolidation of digital FGTS and eSocial outline a package of 7 changes in 2026 that will directly impact the wallets and routines of those who work with a signed contract.
These changes begin at different times: some have been in effect since June 2023 and July 2025, while others will come into force in May 2026, but all converge to the same point starting from 2026. In practice, they mean fewer hours worked, more focus on mental health, increased transparency in FGTS deposits, and potentially higher compensation for moral damages, along with new rules for working on Sundays and holidays.
1. PEC 148 Reduces Working Hours and Might Say Goodbye to the 6×1 Scale
The first of the 7 changes in 2026 is PEC 148 of 2015, approved by the Senate’s CCJ on December 10. The text provides for the gradual end of the 6×1 scale and the reduction of the maximum working hours in Brazil.
-
Government enacts new law: paternity leave increases from 5 to 20 days with gradual increases until 2029, and Social Security pays the paternity salary; companies no longer bear the absence cost, estimated at R$ 5.4 billion.
-
End of the 1-hour lunch break in the CLT? Current labor law maintains the break, allows for negotiated reductions, and defines rules for working hours and home office in Brazil.
-
Employee Fired After Accumulating 114 Days of Medical Leave in One Year, Labor Court Upholds Company’s Decision
-
Employee Fired While Treating Depression Wins in Court and Vale Is Required to Rehire Him Following Decision Based on the CLT and INSS Benefits
According to the proposal’s text, in the first year after the definitive approval, the weekly working hours would decrease from 44 hours to 40 hours. Then, there would be a reduction of 1 hour per year until reaching 36 weekly hours in four years, without reducing the salary.
In other words, the worker would work fewer hours but maintain the same pay.
Another central point is the forecast of two paid rest days per week, preferably on Saturdays and Sundays. The idea is to align the legislation with the reality of countries that already have shorter work hours and more protected weekends, with a direct impact on the quality of life of the worker.
For now, PEC still needs to be voted on in two rounds in the Senate floor and then proceed to the Chamber of Deputies.
If approved, the change will begin to reshape the daily lives of millions of people starting in 2026.
2. Sundays and Holidays in Commerce: What the Union Negotiates Counts
The second change has been in effect since July 2025, but many workers will only clearly feel its effects throughout 2026.
The Ordinance 3.665 of 2023, from the Ministry of Labor, dictates that work on Sundays and holidays in commerce – such as supermarkets, pharmacies, and stores – is only allowed if there is a provision in the collective bargaining agreement of the category.
In practice, the company cannot simply assign the employee to work on these special days. It is mandatory that the employee’s union has negotiated and authorized this in a collective agreement.
The Labor Code already guarantees that the employee has at least one Sunday off every three weeks worked, which, combined with the new rule, gives the worker more bargaining power.
In 2026, the trend is that more categories will revisit their agreements, seeking better compensatory rest days or higher additional pay for those working on these days.
3. Mental Health Joins Companies’ Risk Programs in May 2026
The third of the 7 changes in 2026 directly targets mental health in the workplace. The NR 1, a rule that addresses general provisions and occupational risk management, was updated by an ordinance from the Ministry of Labor and, starting in May 2026, companies will be required to include psychosocial risks in their risk management programs.
This means that employers will have to identify, assess, and prevent factors that affect mental health, such as chronic stress, burnout, moral harassment, and abusive targets.
It will no longer be just a matter of physical safety but also of the emotional and psychological conditions of workers.
Companies that do not comply may face fines from the Ministry of Labor, increasing the pressure for internal prevention policies, complaint channels, review of targets, and collection models.
For workers, it is an important reinforcement of protection in a scenario where mental and emotional disorders have become one of the main causes of absenteeism.
4. Supreme Court Allows Higher Compensation for Labor Moral Damages
The fourth change comes from the Supreme Court. In June 2023, the Supreme Court decided, by eight votes to two, that the capping of moral damages from the labor reform of 2017 serves only as a reference, not as a mandatory maximum limit.
In practice, this opens the door for judges to set higher compensation in cases of moral harassment, sexual harassment, serious accidents, and other serious violations of rights, as long as the decision is well-founded.
The labor reform had created bands linked to the last salary of the worker, ranging from up to 3 times (light damage) to 50 times (very serious damage). Now, in exceptional situations, these amounts can be exceeded.
With the job market heating up and increased pressure for results, 2026 is likely to record more labor actions targeting moral damages, especially if companies do not adjust to the new health and safety requirements.
For workers, this means more robust legal protection against abuses.
5. Minimum Wage of 2026 Rises to 1,621 Reais and Affects Benefits
The fifth of the 7 changes in 2026 is numerical, hitting directly in the pocket.
The Planning Ministry confirmed that, starting in January 2026, the minimum wage will increase from 1,518 reais to 1,621 reais, representing a 6.79% adjustment compared to the current amount.
Of this total, about 2.5% corresponds to real increase above inflation, meaning slightly higher purchasing power for those receiving the national minimum. This change does not only affect the monthly salary. It also impacts:
- the amount of unemployment insurance
- the salary bonus
- and all INSS benefits calculated based on the minimum wage
According to government projections, approximately 59 million Brazilians are directly affected by this correction.
The new amount begins to count in January, but will be felt in the pocket, actually, starting in February, when the payment is made based on the new minimum.
6. Digital FGTS via Pix Speeds Up Collections and Reduces Fraud
The sixth change is technological and has already begun to be implemented, but will gain full strength in 2026: digital FGTS.
The system completely alters the way employers collect the Guarantee Fund.
Now, payment is made exclusively via Pix, using a unique key linked to Caixa Econômica Federal. This makes the process faster, traceable, and less prone to typing errors or delays.
For workers, the most important effect is the ease of supervision. With everything recorded digitally, the government can identify companies that are not correctly collecting FGTS much more quickly.
This increases the chance for prompt collections, reduces room for fraud, and strengthens control over one of the main rights of those with signed contracts.
7. eSocial Registers All Employment History in One System
Concluding the package of 7 changes in 2026, eSocial solidifies itself as a unique system for digital bookkeeping of fiscal, social security, and labor obligations.
Through it, the company sends data about:
- hiring and dismissals
- vacations
- payroll
- work accidents
- social security and labor contributions in general
With everything centralized and digital, it becomes much harder to “hide” information. Irregularities in vacations, deposits, work hour records, or dismissals tend to appear more quickly in government data cross-checks.
For workers, this means more transparency and more documentary evidence if it becomes necessary to discuss rights in court.
For employers, it requires more organized internal processes aligned with the legislation, under the risk of stricter supervision.
What Workers Should Do in Light of These 7 Changes in 2026
The combination of these 7 changes in 2026 redefines the game for those in the job market: potentially shorter hours, more protected weekends, higher minimum wage, focus on mental health, the possibility of higher compensation, and a much tighter digital supervision environment.
Experts recommend that workers:
- monitor the votings of PEC 148 in Congress
- stay alert to the collective agreements of their category regarding Sundays and holidays
- observe how the company handles targets, collections, and harassment
- check pay stubs, FGTS deposits, and benefits starting in 2026
- and, in case of doubt, consult a trusted labor lawyer to understand their rights in each concrete situation
-
-
-
18 pessoas reagiram a isso.