Paraíba Court bans unauthorized salary deductions in Patos

The Court of Justice of Paraíba (TJPB) has prohibited the City of Patos from making unauthorized salary deductions from its employees to fund the Early Childhood Care Program (Programa PAI). The ruling, prompted by an action from the Public Ministry of Paraíba (MPPB), applies to permanent, commissioned, and temporary staff. The only exceptions are deductions with documented prior authorization from the creditor.

In addition to employee salaries, the court prohibited the municipality from withholding payments due to suppliers, service providers, and contractors. The MPPB reported that more than 3,000 employees were affected, with approximately R$ 80,000 being withheld in a single month and recorded as extra-budgetary revenue. The previous practice involved an automatic 1.5% monthly retention from payroll.

Failure to comply with the court order may result in a fine equivalent to double the amount improperly collected, initially capped at R$ 500,000. The City of Patos issued a statement asserting that it only implements deductions for those who have adhered to municipal law and maintains that it will continue to respect judicial determinations while ensuring the continuity of public actions.