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With the growing discussion about the impact of Bolsa Família on the labor market, the scenario of hirings and job offers is in constant transformation. The increase in the value of benefits has generated complex and interesting effects on the labor market.
Recently, a restaurant located in the South Zone of São Paulo was the stage for a controversy.
A notice posted at the service counter asked for patience from customers, stating that “the people from Bolsa Família and the beer drinkers do not want to work,” and that the establishment was facing a severe shortage of employees.
The image of the notice quickly spread across social media, generating a wave of criticism.
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As a result, the restaurant owners were forced to issue an official apology.
Still during the same period, a businessman in the import sector publicly complained on social media about the difficulty of finding employees.
According to him, he had been trying for six days to hire three people to unload a container, offering R$ 45 per day, with the right to coffee after work. However, no one accepted the offer.
This type of complaint is becoming increasingly common, and the question that arises is: has Bolsa Família contributed to this situation?
The income transfer program has, in fact, led people to stop looking for work or, at least, to accept less attractive job offers?
These questions arise in a context where the labor market is heated and unemployment rates are low.
Since the end of the pandemic, Bolsa Família has undergone significant expansion, increasing the number of beneficiary families from 13.8 million in 2019 to 20.5 million in March 2025.
Furthermore, the minimum benefit amount has been raised from R$ 400 to R$ 600, which also impacts the behavior of beneficiaries and the labor market in general.
The Impact of Bolsa Família on Employment: A Critical Analysis
The Bolsa Família is not a new program, but the increase in the value of the benefit in recent years has sparked discussions about its effects on workforce behavior.
One of the main questions is whether the increase in the benefit discourages people from seeking jobs, creating a “dependency” on social programs.
To understand this issue, we spoke with economists who are investigating the effects of the program on the labor market.
One of these economists is Gabriel Mariante, a PhD researcher at the London School of Economics (LSE).
In a study conducted in 2014, Mariante investigated the impacts of Bolsa Família on the labor market, focusing primarily on women.
His findings indicate that for mothers receiving the program, there is a higher likelihood of entering the formal labor market compared to women who do not receive the benefit.
In his research, Mariante analyzed the effects of a reform carried out during Dilma Rousseff’s government in 2014, which expanded Bolsa Família coverage by adjusting poverty lines.
This change allowed families that were previously not covered to start receiving the benefit.
The study showed that, for women, access to Bolsa Família is associated with a higher rate of formal employment, indicating that the benefit, in some way, encourages the search for a position in the labor market.
Practical Example: How Bolsa Família Can Be an Incentive for Formal Employment
A clear example of this positive impact on formal employment is the case of Rosilene Martins Silva, a single mother of two children living in Anastácio (MS).
In 2020, Rosilene lost her job at a factory and began receiving emergency aid and, subsequently, Bolsa Família.
Although the situation was difficult, with less than R$ 1,000 per month, she never stopped working.
In 2024, Rosilene secured a formal job as a domestic worker, and the Bolsa Família benefit began to complement her salary.
This type of experience shows that, contrary to what some criticisms suggest, the program can be a significant help for entry into the formal labor market.
The income transfer provides support during the transition to more stable employment, as in Rosilene’s case, and this contributes to the formalization of work in some areas.
Changes in the Labor Market After the Increase in the Value of Bolsa Família
However, not all the consequences of the increase in the value of Bolsa Família are viewed positively.
In a recent study, economists Leandro Siani Pires and Fábio José Ferreira da Silva from the Central Bank pointed out that there was a decline in the labor force participation rate between 2022 and 2023, mainly among beneficiaries of the program.
The research showed that, while overall participation in the labor market fell by 1.5 percentage points, this decline was more pronounced among beneficiaries of social programs such as Bolsa Família.
This phenomenon is even more noticeable among the lowest income brackets.
According to the economists, the expansion of social benefits is associated with a decline in the labor market participation rate.
This suggests that, for some families, the increase in the value of the benefit may reduce the pressure to seek employment, leading to less effort to find work, especially in areas with lower wages or less attractive working conditions.
A Question of Choice or Working Conditions?
Marcos Hecksher, a researcher at the Institute of Applied Economic Research (Ipea), also analyzed the issue and found that indeed, labor force participation among Bolsa Família beneficiaries fell from 57.8% to 55.5% between 2019 and 2023.
However, he notes that at the same time, the employment rate increased slightly, indicating that while some people are stopping searching for work, others are finding formal jobs.
Hecksher believes that the increase in the value of Bolsa Família could have a positive effect on the economy, as the money transferred by the program circulates quickly, stimulating consumption and job creation.
In fact, a study conducted by Ipea in 2013 demonstrated that every R$ 1 spent on Bolsa Família generates a multiplier effect of R$ 2.40 on family consumption.
The Social Program and the Change in Perception of Work
One of the most common criticisms of Bolsa Família is that it would have encouraged a shift in the perception of the value of work, especially among the poorest.
According to some business owners, the difficulty in finding labor willing to accept low-paying jobs has increased.
Bolsa Família, by increasing the income of the poorer families, may have led a significant portion of the population to reconsider their work options.
This is especially true in areas where wages are not sufficiently attractive or working conditions do not offer stability.
However, the issue is more complex than it seems.
For many beneficiaries of the program, the increase in the value of Bolsa Família represents an opportunity to improve their quality of life, without the need to accept any kind of work.
People receiving the benefit now have more options and can be more selective about the type of work they are willing to accept. The difficulty in finding workers willing to perform low-wage tasks can therefore be seen as a natural response to the improvement in living conditions provided by programs like Bolsa Família.
What Is Behind the Difficulty of Hiring?
Therefore, the difficulty some companies face in hiring workers may have multiple causes, and Bolsa Família is just one part of this equation.
While the program helps improve the quality of life of low-income families, it also contributes to a change in labor market dynamics.
On one hand, it encourages the search for formal employment and improvements in working conditions, but on the other hand, it may reduce the urgency of accepting any type of job, especially in sectors that offer low wages and poor conditions.
The question that remains is: do companies need to rethink their job offers, improving salaries and working conditions to attract the available workforce? Leave your opinion in the comments!
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