Santa Catarina: Various judicial and municipal rulings reported

Various judicial and legislative developments are occurring across the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, involving municipal administration and public rights.

In Balneário Camboriú, the city will pay approximately R$ 7.5 million to health workers in ten installments. This follows a court ruling that increased the hazard pay (insalubridade) from 20% to 40% for those working during the Covid-19 pandemic. The payment, dubbed the ‘Heróis da Saúde’ agreement, includes non-unionized staff who meet specific criteria.

In Araranguá, the judiciary ruled that the municipality cannot individually charge a waste collection tax on 130 commercial parking spaces within a residential and commercial building. The court ordered the restitution of values paid over the last five years, noting that individual real estate registration does not justify separate waste service charges.

In Joinville, a court denied a request from a temporary endemic control agent to be recognized as a permanent civil servant, ruling that permanent entry into public service requires passing a public competitive examination.

In Florianópolis, the Santa Catarina Court of Justice ruled that a residential condominium may be held liable for failing to oversee internal rules, including unauthorized construction and environmental interventions, allowing a lawsuit by residents to proceed.

Additionally, in Forquilhinha, the City Council unanimously approved a recommendation for the Executive branch to study tax exemptions (IPTU and ISS) for citizens and businesses affected by floods and extreme weather events.