Part-time work in Brazil: hours, pay and rights

Part-time work is a CLT contract with reduced hours: up to 30 hours a week with no overtime, or up to 26 hours a week with up to 6 overtime hours (CLT, art. 58-A). Pay can be proportional to the hours, but the rights are the same as for other employees, including 30 days of vacation.

Quick summary

• Two formats: up to 30 hours a week with no overtime, or up to 26 hours with up to 6 overtime hours a week.
• Pay: proportional to colleagues doing the same job full-time.
• Overtime: only in the 26-hour format, at a 50% premium.
• Vacation: 30 days, as for full-time staff, and 1/3 can be sold.
• Other rights: 13th salary, FGTS, paid weekly rest, INSS and unemployment insurance.

How proportional pay works

Pay can follow the proportion of hours. If a full-time colleague (44 hours) earns R$ 2,640, someone working 22 hours in the same job can earn R$ 1,320. The hourly rate cannot fall below the hourly minimum wage.

To move from full-time to part-time, the employee must agree, and a collective agreement may set its own rules (art. 58-A, § 2).

Overtime in part-time work

• Up-to-30-hour contract: no overtime allowed.
• Up-to-26-hour contract: up to 6 overtime hours a week, paid at 50% extra. They can be offset by the following week; otherwise they must be paid that month.

Frequently asked questions

Do part-time workers get 30 days of vacation?

Yes. Since the 2017 reform, part-time vacation follows the same rules as CLT art. 130, up to 30 days.

Can I earn less than the minimum wage working part-time?

The monthly salary can be lower, but the hourly rate cannot be below the hourly minimum wage.

Are part-time workers entitled to unemployment insurance?

Yes, if they meet the work-time requirements and are dismissed without cause.

Read more in this series

• Overtime: how to calculate and claim it
• Paid vacation under the CLT
• 40 hours a week: how many hours a day?
• Index: complete guide to labor rights

Topic: this guide is part of Working hours, with all the guides on the subject.