Truck driver dismissed for ignoring mandatory rest stops in Minas Gerais

A truck driver hired in June 2025 was terminated for just cause in November 2025 after repeatedly disregarding company rules on journey length and required rest and overnight stops while transporting eucalyptus wood between farms in Vazante and Felixlândia, Minas Gerais.

Judge Geraldo Magela Melo of the Labor Court of Curvelo upheld the dismissal, and the Fourth Panel of the Regional Labor Court of Minas Gerais confirmed the decision. The employer presented evidence that the driver had been warned and suspended for the same violations. The driver’s appeal to cancel the termination, convert it to a regular dismissal, claim severance pay and seek moral damages was rejected. The court emphasized that compliance with rest periods is essential for the safety of drivers and other road users.