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Project sent by the Executive limits workweek to 40 hours, guarantees two paid rest days, and prohibits salary reduction. Text is being fast-tracked in the Chamber.
The federal government sent to Congress bill 1838/26 which proposes reducing the weekly workweek to 40 hours, with the guarantee of two paid rest days and without any salary cut. The measure promises to change the work routine of thousands of Brazilian workers, limiting the workload below the current constitutional ceiling of 44 hours.
The text is under analysis in the Chamber of Deputies, which established a constitutional urgency regime to speed up its processing. The proposal also foresees the full maintenance of current salaries and minimum wages, seeking to improve quality of life without impacting employees’ income.
Workweek reduction: central point of the project
The central point of bill 1838/26 is the reduction of the weekly workweek to 40 hours, below the current constitutional ceiling of 44 hours. The proposal maintains the guarantee of two paid rest days of 24 consecutive hours, preferably on Saturdays and Sundays.
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The measure also ensures the full preservation of salaries and minimum wages for labor categories, prohibiting any cuts due to the reduction in workload. This aims to preserve workers’ income while seeking to improve quality of life and productivity.
The project was sent to Congress on April 14, 2026, and is under analysis in the Chamber of Deputies under a constitutional urgency regime, with processing expected in Chamber and Senate committees within 45 days each. The text applies to CLT rules and specific categories.
Two paid rest days guaranteed by law
Bill 1838/26 provides for two paid rest days for workers, guaranteeing a minimum period of 24 consecutive hours of rest per week.
These rest days should preferably be on Saturdays and Sundays, promoting greater alignment with employees’ family and social routines.
This measure accompanies the reduction of the weekly workweek to 40 hours, preserving salary rights and seeking to improve workers’ quality of life without affecting their income.
Prohibition of salary cuts maintains workers’ rights
Bill 1838/26 ensures that the reduction of the workweek to 40 hours will not imply a decrease in current salaries or minimum wages. This measure aims to protect established labor rights, ensuring that workers maintain their full remuneration even with the reduction in workload.
Furthermore, the text provides for two paid weekly rests, strengthening the protection of workers’ health and quality of life without negative financial impacts. The prohibition of salary cuts is aligned with the determination to preserve employees’ income in the face of the new work routine.
The government emphasizes that the proposal is under analysis in the Chamber of Deputies under a constitutional urgency regime, reinforcing the commitment to legislation that respects acquired rights, without harming the economic benefits of workers.
Accelerated processing in the Chamber and Senate with constitutional urgency
Bill 1838/26, submitted by the federal government, is being fast-tracked under constitutional urgency in the Chamber of Deputies, accelerating the analysis schedule for the proposal that reduces the weekly workweek to 40 hours.
The measure, which also provides for two paid rest days and maintains salaries, proceeds for evaluation in Chamber committees and, subsequently, in the Senate, both with a 45-day deadline for deliberation.
This speed in processing aims to ensure quick discussion and decisions on the labor reform that could impact the routine of thousands of workers in Brazil, without compromising employees’ income.
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