Brazil labor court overturns dismissal of Uberlândia worker over four‑minute overtime

A judge of the 5th Labor Court in Uberlândia, Celso Alves Magalhães, reversed a dismissal for just cause that a food‑industry employer had applied to an employee who recorded four minutes beyond the ten‑hour daily limit. The court found the excess insignificant, noting that the worker had to walk from his work area to a clock located in the locker room, a trip that took about five minutes. The employer’s claim that the overtime demonstrated desídia was not supported by evidence of intentional or repeated misconduct.

The decision cites the Consolidated Labor Laws' tolerance for minor timing variations—up to five minutes per punch and ten minutes per day— which were not considered overtime for pay purposes. The Tribunal Regional do Trabalho de Minas Gerais (TRT‑MG) upheld the ruling, though the employer may appeal to the Superior Labor Court (TST). The case highlights that unauthorized overtime alone does not justify termination without proportional and graduated disciplinary measures.