IMPACTS OF REDUCING THE WORKWEEK TO 36 HOURS (PEC 8/2025) ON LABOR RELATIONS AND WORKER HEALTH

Abstract

This research analyzes the legal and social impacts of reducing the workweek to 36 hours—as proposed by PEC No. 8/2025—on labor relations and worker health protection in Brazil. The study addresses the following research question: to what extent can reducing the weekly work schedule contribute to the realization of workers' fundamental rights without compromising the dynamics of contemporary productive relations? The general objective is to examine the legal, social, and constitutional implications of implementing a 36-hour workweek, focusing on the valuation of human labor, occupational health, and work-life balance. Specific objectives include analyzing the normative content of PEC No. 8/2025, investigating the effects of reduced working hours on workers' physical and mental health, examining necessary adjustments to the labor legal framework, and evaluating the proposal's potential economic impacts. The research employs a qualitative methodology based on a review of literature and documents, drawing upon legal doctrine, legislation, case law, institutional reports, and both national and international scientific studies. The results indicate that reducing the weekly work schedule serves as a tool to strengthen human dignity, worker health protection, and the realization of social rights; furthermore, it reflects an adaptation of Labor Law to new production dynamics characterized by automation and technological advancements. The study concludes that PEC No. 8/2025 has the potential to foster a better balance between economic productivity and social protection, provided it is accompanied by appropriate regulatory adjustments and effective collective bargaining mechanisms.