Brazil Senate to analyze Apprentice Statute and ECA updates

The Brazilian Senate plenary is scheduled to analyze five projects this Wednesday, including the Apprentice Statute (PL 6.461/2019). This proposal aims to consolidate professional apprenticeship rules, which are currently dispersed across various decrees, into a single law. The project defines professional apprenticeship as a work contract focused on methodical technical-professional training through a combination of theoretical and practical lessons.

The text prioritizes the hiring of adolescents aged 14 to 17 and removes age limits for persons with disabilities. It mandates that medium and large companies hire apprentices, with quotas ranging from 5% to 15% of their workforce. Hiring remains optional for businesses with fewer than seven employees.

Additionally, the Senate will review PL 2.234/2024, which seeks to update the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA). The amendment aims to align the 1990 statute with the Constitution by replacing references to elementary school with the term “mandatory basic education,” covering the age range of 4 to 17 years.