Brazilian ministers Guilherme Boulos and Dario Durigan will attend public hearings in Brasília tomorrow and Wednesday to debate ending the 6x1 work schedule [1, 2].
The proposal seeks to eliminate the common practice of working six days followed by one day of rest. This shift would represent a fundamental change to the Brazilian labor market, impacting millions of workers and the operational costs of the productive sector.
Boulos, from the General Secretariat of the Presidency, and Durigan, the Minister of Finance, will appear before a special commission of the Chamber of Deputies on May 12 [1] and May 13, 2026 [1, 2]. The commission was established to vote on and discuss a proposed amendment to the constitution (PEC) that targets the current labor model.
During these sessions, officials will evaluate the transition process and potential compensations for businesses affected by the change [2, 3]. The government is focusing on how to implement a future model that balances worker welfare with economic stability.
Preparation for these hearings follows high-level coordination within the administration. President Lula previously met with seven ministers [4] to finalize the details of the project's delivery to the legislature.
Following the public hearings, the government is expected to send a formal bill to Congress by May 15, 2026 [3]. This timeline suggests an aggressive push by the administration to codify new labor standards before the end of the month.
“The proposal seeks to eliminate the common practice of working six days followed by one day of rest.”
The move to abolish the 6x1 scale is a significant labor reform that attempts to align Brazil with global trends toward shorter work weeks. By involving the Minister of Finance, the government acknowledges that the transition will require careful fiscal and economic planning to prevent sudden spikes in unemployment or operational costs for small and medium enterprises.
