By Mateo Bueno Sá
Brazil's National Confederation of Commerce (CNC), the main business group representing the country's commercial sector, has filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Brazil's highest court. It asks the court to postpone the start of the transition to a new workweek following the end of the so-called 6x1 schedule, in which employees work six days and get one day off. The request would change the calendar of a measure that has already been promulgated and that affects the routines of millions of workers and companies.
What changes under the 6x1 amendment, and when
The constitutional amendment promulgated in October cuts the maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours, with no pay reduction. The change does not take effect all at once.
The first stage begins 60 days after promulgation, on December 16 of this year. The maximum workweek falls to 42 hours, and workers are guaranteed two days of paid rest. Twelve months later, the ceiling drops to 40 hours.
CNC wants to push the clock back
The CNC asks that the first stage be moved to October 16, 2027. It says the move to 40 hours should happen from October 2028. That would add more than a year to the schedule. The group's argument is that the current deadline is too short.
According to the confederation, 60 days are not enough for businesses in the commerce sector to adapt. Companies may need to hire new workers, reorganize shifts and renegotiate collective bargaining agreements.
The most sensitive point is that agreements currently in force lose effect as soon as the new schedule applies. Companies without a new agreement ready are racing against the clock.
Rush in Congress and the government
The path of the amendment was accelerated. The Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) approved the base text of the constitutional amendment proposal (PEC) and rejected an opposition motion before concluding the vote. Senator Davi Alcolumbre placed the matter on the Senate agenda for October 6, two days after the first round of the election. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of the Workers' Party (PT), had said the measure would be approved this year, before the next president takes office.
Why it matters
The debate now moves from the congressional floor to the Supreme Court. The court's decision on the calendar will determine whether the transition proceeds at the planned pace or gains an extension of more than a year.
For those who work behind the counter, at the register and on weekend shifts, the difference between December of this year and October 2027 is the difference between an immediate change and prolonged uncertainty. For employers, the question is whether they can renegotiate agreements, hire staff and rebuild shift schedules in the time available.
