Brazil's intermittent labor contracts poised to grow with work‑week reform

A study by the Instituto Brasileiro de Economia (Ibre‑FGV) reported that 21,760 intermittent‑work positions were created in Brazil in the first quarter of 2026, a 5.5% increase over the same period a year earlier and accounting for 3.5% of all formal jobs generated that quarter. Over the twelve months ending in March, the country had 108,200 workers on intermittent contracts, 17.3% more than the preceding year. Researchers Janaína Feijó and Helena Zahar noted that “the result ranks among the largest in the historic series, highlighting the current relevance of the modality.”

The proposed constitutional amendment (PEC) that would reduce the weekly workweek from 44 to 40 hours and replace the 6×1 schedule with a 5×2 pattern has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies and awaits Senate deliberation. Economists, including Claudio Felisoni of FIA Business School, expect the reform to encourage firms—particularly in the service sector, which accounts for 74.9% of intermittent jobs—to rely more on intermittent contracts to cover employees’ rest days.