Strip and bag searches at work in Brazil: what is prohibited and when it leads to compensation

*Strip searches (revista íntima) of employees are prohibited by law (CLT, art. 373-A, VI; Law 13,271/2016 — the CLT is Brazil's Consolidated Labor Laws). Visual searches of bags and belongings are accepted by case law when done impersonally, for everyone, without physical contact and without exposing the worker. Outside these limits, a search may lead to compensation for moral damages.*

Quick summary

• Strip search (undressing, frisking, exposing the body): prohibited.
• Bag and locker searches: tolerated if visual, impersonal, applied to everyone and without physical contact.
• A fine for employers that conduct strip searches (Law 13,271/2016).
• Abuse leads to moral damages.
• Queue time for mandatory searches may count as time at the employer's disposal.

Examples of abuse

• Requiring the worker to undress or lift their shirt.
• Frisking the body, even over clothing.
• Searching only some employees, in a discriminatory way.
• Searching in front of customers or colleagues, causing exposure.
• Searching personal belongings humiliatingly, scattering items.

What is tolerated

• Metal detectors and cameras in common areas.
• The employee opening their own bag while security looks, in a private place.
• Locked or sealed lockers, with inspection announced in advance.

How to act

1. Write down the date, place, who did it and who witnessed it.
2. Keep witnesses and, if possible, the internal rules.
3. Inform HR and the CIPA in writing.
4. Report to the Ministry of Labor or MPT.
5. Claim compensation in the Labor Court — see Moral damages in labor cases.

Frequently asked questions

Can the employer look in my bag when I leave?

Yes, if it is visual, applied to everyone and without physical contact or exposure.

Is a metal-detector search a strip search?

No, as long as there is no physical contact or exposure.

Read more in this series

• Moral damages in labor cases: amounts and criteria
• Monitoring of corporate email and phones
• Workplace bullying
• Time at the employer's disposal and residual minutes
• Index: complete guide to labor rights