🇧🇷 Working time rules
Working Time Rules: Brazil
Brazil: standard working hours, overtime, rest, annual leave, and record-keeping rules - a practical overview, not legal advice.
This is a general overview, not legal advice. Limits, reference periods, exceptions, and record-keeping duties vary by sector and contract and change over time. Confirm the current rules with the official source and a qualified adviser.
Standard work week44 hours per week8 hours a day over 5 days
Minimum annual leave30 days30 calendar days after 12 months of work. One of the most generous in the world.
Statutory working time
Under the Consolidation of Labour Laws (CLT, Art. 58) and the Federal Constitution (Art. 7, XIII), ordinary working hours are limited to 8 hours per day and 44 hours per week. Overtime is permitted up to 2 extra hours per day with a 50% pay premium.
Overtime
Standard hours are 8 a day and 44 a week. Overtime is paid with a premium of at least 50% over the normal hourly rate.
Rest periods
At least 11 hours between workdays and a weekly paid rest, usually on Sunday.
Record-keeping
Establishments above a set size must keep a time record (ponto) of hours worked.
What to check before you rely on this
- The current statutory limits, reference periods, and any opt-outs.
- Sector or collective-agreement rules that may override the defaults.
- How overtime is authorised, recorded, and compensated.
- What working-time records you must keep and for how long.