The 4-day work week in Portugal has been in the headlines for several months, and finally, it's a reality. As of 5th June 2023, a pilot project for the 4-day work week in Portugal has been underway, starting with a trial in 46 companies. Together, these companies bring together 20,000 workers, who will now work 4 days a week. This is everything you need to know about the Portugal 4-day work week trial which is now underway.
The beginning of the second phase of the pilot project was announced by the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho: "On 5th June, the pilot projects of Portugal's 4-day work week will advance", she said in the Committee of Labour, Social Security and Inclusion, in Parliament.
Data released by the organisation of the project promoted by the Government at the end of March, reveal that the 4-day work week in Portugal will start with a total of 46 companies, which cover 20,000 employees. Of these, there are only 4 companies with more than 1,000 workers, and the majority are small companies (with up to 10 workers).
Almost 40 per cent of the 46 companies that will go ahead with the 4-day week work in "consultancy, scientific, technical and similar activities". But there are companies from the most varied sectors of activity, such as education, information and communication activities, health and social support activities, to financial and insurance activities and real estate activities.
Two companies that have already announced they are involved in this pilot project are Crioestaminal and Onya, which seek to improve the quality of life of workers, as well as the productivity and competitiveness of companies, quotes the Portuguese newspaper ECO.
How will the 4-day work week pilot project work in Portugal?
The project aims to evaluate the implementation of the 4-day week, with the corresponding reduction in the number of working hours, without a reduction in pay, and is aimed at employers and their workers who want to join voluntarily, in accordance with the ordinance published in the Diário da República (Portugal's Official Gazette).
The 4-day week model does not require a reduction in working hours from 40 hours to 32 hours, but rather a reduction in weekly working hours to 36 hours or 34 hours, for example (or even less). The decision is up to the companies that adhere to the project, and they can even increase the daily working hours on these four days to compensate the rest day. The definition of the extra day of rest is also flexible.
Now, these 46 companies that adhered to the 4-day week test will implement this new work model as of June and for 6 months, during which time they will receive technical and administrative support from the State to help in the transition.
It is also foreseen that companies enrolled in the pilot programme are evaluated before, during and after the programme, through indicators related to the company, such as productivity and intermediate costs, and to the workers, including health and well-being.
The IEFP - Instituto de Emprego e Formação Profissional (Employment and Vocational Training Institute) assumes the costs and expenses associated to the development of the pilot-programme up to a global maximum amount of 350 thousand euros.
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