Brazil

4-Day Work Week in Brazil: Pilot Results, Companies & Labor Laws (2024)
South America · Large Pilot

4-Day Work Week
in Brazil

In September 2023, Brazil launched a landmark 9-month national trial — 21 companies, ~280 employees, and striking results that are reshaping how the country thinks about work.

21 Companies in pilot
280 Employees involved
9 mo. Pilot duration
100:80:100 Pay:Hours:Output model
The Pilot Program

Brazil's 4-Day Work Week Experiment

Launched in September 2023 in collaboration with 4 Day Week Global and Reconnect Happiness at Work, the pilot was structured as a three-phase initiative.

Phase 1 — Preparation (Sep–Dec 2023)

Three months of masterclasses, planning sessions, and operational groundwork. Companies redesigned workflows, reduced unnecessary meetings, and established KPIs before the workweek change began.

The 100:80:100 Model

Participating companies adopted the globally recognized framework: employees receive 100% of their salary for working 80% of their hours, committing to maintain 100% of their productivity.

Phase 2 — Implementation (Jan–Jun 2024)

Six months of active 4-day working. 70% of firms rolled it out company-wide; 30% trialled it in specific departments. Most employees took Fridays off, though some companies rotated Monday/Friday or allowed self-selection.

Company Participation

22 companies enrolled at the start. One withdrew after the first month, leaving 21 active participants across sectors including healthcare, design, legal, technology, and food services.

Named Pilot Companies

Ab Aeterno
Brasil dos Parafusos
Clara Associados
Clementino & Teixeira Advocacia
GR Assessoria Contábil
Greco Design
Haze Shift
Hospital Indianópolis
Innuvem
Inspira
Maker Brands
Mol Impacto
Noono
Oxygen Hub
PiU Comunica
Plongê
Rede Alimentare
Smart Duo
Soma CSC (Grupo Dreamers)
Mid-Trial Data · April 2024

What the Numbers Show

Baseline collected December 2023; interim data at the programme's halfway mark in April 2024.

Boost in project execution
+61.5%
Improvement in meeting deadlines
+44.4%
Increase in creativity & innovation
+58.5%
Rise in client acquisition
+33.3%
More energy for task completion
82.4%
Reduction in work-related stress
62.7%
Higher end-of-day fatigue reduction
64.9%
Reduction in anxiety levels
67.0%
Reduction in work-related exhaustion
64.5%
Exercised more than 3× per week
46.3%
Sleep more than 8 hrs/night
+27.1%
Reduction in insomnia
50.0%
More energy for family & friends
78.1%
Better personal-professional balance
57.9%
Increased colleague collaboration
85.4%
Better relationship with leadership
44.0%
Company Spotlights

Brazilian Companies Leading the Way

These companies adopted the 4-day week independently, before and beyond the national pilot.

Pioneer

Zee.Dog

Pet Products · Since 2021

Established in 2011, Zee.Dog is recognized as Brazil's first company to implement a 4-day work week, allowing employees every other Wednesday off. The shift, inspired by global trends, followed their remote-work transition during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Significantly elevated workforce contentment and job enthusiasm
  • Productivity levels maintained, with better task prioritisation
  • Became a top employer for work-life-balance-conscious talent
Startup

Winnin

MarTech · Rio de Janeiro · Since 2021

Rio-based video data startup Winnin started with a one-month social experiment in 2021, slashing unnecessary meetings and setting clear KPIs before permanently adopting the 4-day week after proving the model worked.

  • 41.9% increase in employee focus on mental and physical health
  • Increased sense of purpose, belonging, and company pride
  • Notable improvement in work-life balance and reduced burnout
Global Reach

Signifyd

eCommerce Fraud Protection · Since Mar 2022

Founded in 2011, Signifyd permanently adopted a 4-day work week from 1 March 2022 to support employee well-being and productivity in response to pandemic-era burnout pressures across its global team.

  • Employee satisfaction markedly improved through better work-life balance
  • Productivity remained consistent or increased on compressed schedules
  • Stronger recruitment and retention in competitive tech talent market
Brazilian Labor Law

Work Rights & Regulations in Brazil

Understanding the broader legal context helps frame how the 4-day week operates within Brazil's labor framework.

Vacation Policy

30 days paid vacation after each year of employment
Vacation bonus of one-third of monthly salary, paid at least 2 days before leave
Can be split into up to 3 segments (one of at least 14 consecutive days)
Employees may sell back up to 10 vacation days per year

Overtime Regulations

Standard workweek: 44 hours — anything beyond is overtime
Max 2 hours overtime per day
Overtime rate: 150% of regular pay
Holiday/weekend overtime: 200% of regular pay
Night work (10 PM–5 AM): minimum 120% pay; each hour = 52.5 min

Part-Time & Remote Work

Part-time defined as under 30 hours/week — 14.2% of workforce (OECD 2022)
Part-time workers entitled to paid leave, 13th-month salary, and FGTS contributions
~9.5 million Brazilians work remotely (approx. 9.8% of workforce post-pandemic)
Remote work more prevalent among women (8.7%) than men (6.8%)
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil ran a 9-month national 4-day work week pilot beginning in September 2023, involving 21 companies and around 280 employees. While no nationwide law mandates a 4-day week, the pilot demonstrated strong support for the model, and individual companies have adopted it permanently.
Mid-trial results (April 2024) showed a 61.5% boost in project execution, a 44.4% improvement in meeting deadlines, and a 62.7% reduction in work-related stress. Employee relations also improved, with 85.4% reporting better collaboration with colleagues.
Pioneer adopters include Zee.Dog (Brazil's first), Winnin (Rio de Janeiro martech startup), and Signifyd (eCommerce fraud protection). All three permanently implemented the 4-day work week with measurable improvements in productivity, well-being, and employee retention.
Brazilian employees are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave after completing one year of employment. Employers must pay a bonus of one-third of the monthly salary at least two days before the holiday begins. Leave may be taken in up to three segments, with the main block covering at least 14 consecutive days.
The 100:80:100 model means employees receive 100% of their salary, work 80% of their standard hours (four days instead of five), and commit to maintaining 100% of their productivity output. This is the framework adopted across Brazil's pilot and in many global 4-day week experiments.

Find a Better Way to Work

Explore jobs with flexible schedules, reduced hours, and improved work-life balance — from companies that have already made the shift.

Browse Jobs at Job.com.se