End of the 6-on, 1-off work schedule enacted: companies should prepare to adjust working hours and operations

At a glance

Today, October 16, 2026, the Brazilian National Congress promulgated the constitutional amendment proposal ending the 6-on, 1-off work schedule, known in Brazil as the 6×1 schedule, and reducing the maximum weekly working hours. Following promulgation, the measure is no longer a legislative proposal and becomes part of the Federal Constitution, subject to the effective-date and transition rules established by the Constitutional Amendment.

What happened

On October 16, 2026, the Brazilian National Congress promulgated the proposal identified as PEC 141, which ends the 6×1 work schedule and changes the constitutional parameters governing working hours and weekly rest periods.

Under the approved text, the amendment:

• reduces the maximum working time from 44 to 40 hours per week;
• guarantees two days of paid weekly rest;
• prohibits salary reductions resulting from the reduction in working hours; and
• provides for phased implementation, initially establishing a limit of 42 hours per week, followed by a further reduction to 40 hours per week.

Why it matters

Promulgation fundamentally changes the measure’s legal status. It is no longer a proposal subject to approval by the Federal Senate or the Chamber of Deputies, but a constitutional rule that must be observed in accordance with the implementation timetable established in the final text.

Although the end of the 6×1 schedule does not necessarily prohibit work on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays, the requirement to provide two rest days per week and the reduction in maximum working hours may restrict existing work arrangements. Therefore, even companies that already operate a 40-hour workweek may be affected.

Companies may need to reorganize work schedules, increase staffing levels, change shifts or negotiate new collective bargaining arrangements. Compliance will depend not only on the total hours worked each week, but also on how working time and rest periods are distributed. Simply reducing daily working hours without reviewing the overall work-rest cycle may not be sufficient to comply with the new constitutional requirement.