Government postpones decree on working on holidays for 3 months.

By Wellton Máximo, reporter for Agência Brasil - Without an agreement between the government, workers, and employers, the Ministry of Labor and Employment postponed for three months the publication of the decree restricting work in the retail sector on holidays for workers with collective bargaining agreements. The new rules, which were to take effect on March 1st, will now be implemented in June.

In a statement, the Ministry of Labor and Employment reported that the decision was made at a meeting between Minister Luiz Marinho; the Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha; representatives of the labor unions and the parliamentary fronts for Commerce and Services and Entrepreneurship.

“We are confident that the parties will reach a text that will fully encompass the functioning of our commerce, always respecting the right to negotiations, the rights of employees, and protecting each worker,” Luiz Marinho highlighted in the statement.

At the end of January, Marinho had said that around 200 activities considered essential would be exempt from the rule and would not need a collective agreement to operate on holidays.

In November, the Ministry of Labor published a decree that mandated collective bargaining agreements for holiday work for all sectors of commerce. A week later, the text was revoked after the Chamber of Deputies threatened to approve a legislative decree canceling the decree.

BIRTHDAY WITHDRAWAL - Shortly after the ceremony announcing the digital version of the Severance Indemnity Fund (FGTS), Marinho said that the government is finalizing the bill that changes the rules for the FGTS anniversary withdrawal.

"We are finalizing the last details, with the Ministries of Labor, Finance, and the Civil House working together, so that we can submit a bill to Congress," Marinho declared after a press conference.

The minister said he does not rule out the possibility of sending the proposal as a provisional measure. According to Marinho, the current rules for birthday withdrawals harm some workers because those who withdraw the benefit on their birthday have difficulty accessing the fund in the event of dismissal.