Brazil Labor Courts Warn of Electoral Harassment in Workplaces

The Justice of Labor (Justiça do Trabalho) has issued a warning ahead of the 2026 elections that any attempt by employers to influence employees’ votes – through promises of benefits, threats of dismissal or coercive meetings – constitutes illegal electoral harassment.

Recent rulings illustrate the penalties: a packaging company in Rio Verde, Goiás, was ordered to pay R$1,000 in moral damages to each employee for offering leave if a favored candidate won; a coaching firm in Vitória, Espírito Santo, was ordered to pay R$8,000 to a saleswoman who was dismissed after refusing to disclose her vote. Violations can lead to labor, electoral and criminal sanctions, including fines, compensation, indirect termination and possible imprisonment. Workers are advised to collect evidence and can report cases to the Ministry of Public Labor, the Superior Labor Court or the Council of the Superior Labor Justice.