The economic team is considering offering lines of credit and training programs for companies that face difficulties with the end of the 6x1 work schedule, said this Friday (16) the Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan. According to him, the impact of the constitutional amendment on employers will still be assessed, but the government provides specific funding for the transition.
“It is possible that we create, for example, a kind of line of credit or training for innovation”, said Durigan in an interview with TV Band this Friday (16).
The measure, highlighted the minister, seeks to help businesses adapt to the new journey, with investments in innovation and productivity. Durigan also mentioned that the government intends to support companies affected by tax reform.
Innovation and training
Durigan said the economic team is still analyzing which companies and sectors will have the greatest impact from the change. The intention is to allocate support to businesses that need more resources to reorganize their activities.
According to the minister, adaptation may involve modernizing processes, training employees and adopting new technologies to maintain production even with fewer working days.
“Businesspeople must have support from the government to participate in this new era, which is a civilizational change,” he declared.
The minister cited the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) and other training systems as partners in training initiatives, especially for small businesses.
Support for small businesses
Durigan stated that the government has already increased the credit limit for small businesses, from R$250,000 to R$500,000, including for operations intended for working capital, resources used to maintain expenses and the daily functioning of businesses.
The minister did not announce a payroll tax exemption or other direct compensation to employers. Instead, he highlighted the possibility of targeted financing and training for companies that need to adapt.
“We already plan to have specific lines of credit for this transition, both for the tax reform and the end of the 6x1 journey,” he said.
Impact still to be assessed
The change in the journey was approved by Congress and promulgated this Friday. The new rule provides for two days of paid rest per week and a gradual reduction in the maximum working day from 44 to 40 hours, without a pay cut.
Durigan stated that the government will still measure the effects of the change on different sectors and company sizes. According to data cited by the minister, 68% to 70% of jobs in the country are outside the 6x1 scale.
He also argued that adaptation can bring productivity gains, with more efficient processes and lower worker turnover.
Interest and tax adjustment
In the interview, Durigan also stated that the interest rate remains a challenge for the Brazilian economy. The minister defended the continued adjustment of public accounts and the search for larger primary surpluses in the coming years, but without abrupt changes in economic policy.
“We will continue to improve public accounts, generating a surplus, but gradually, without putting a damper on your life, without generating uncertainty and unpredictability”, he stated.
Durigan said that the strategy must preserve public policies and avoid negative impacts on economic activity. He stated that the proposed fiscal adjustment of 1.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the short term, debated during the elections, would require cuts in social programs and other policies.
