Opportunities in Brazil and Essential Labor Law

巴西的机会和基本劳动法

前言

境内企业出海的时候，往往因为历史习惯和传统意义上员工的“服从性”等原因，而忽略了目标国的劳动法合规问题（即使劳动法合规并不是最主要的法律风险而是最基本的贯穿企业生命周期的风险），这一点无论在哪个目标国都会存在，本次我们邀请了达远·品好（北京&圣保罗）联营律所的合伙人Felipe Assis律师（中国政法大学法学博士）专门撰文剖析巴西劳动法的基本面，以帮助国内各型企业对海外特别是南美地区的劳动法有一个概括的认知。

Brazil offers a domestic market of over 200 million people and, at the same time, serves as a practical springboard into a Latin American region of roughly 650 million consumers. Scale, diversified supply chains and proximity to high-growth neighbors make it an attractive landing point for manufacturing, services, energy and resources. Opportunities are visible across electric vehicles, consumer electronics, technology services and more traditional segments such as heavy industry, commodities, agribusiness and mining. Recent moves by Chinese groups illustrate this breadth: State Grid in transmission and infrastructure; BYD in EVs and batteries; XCMG in machinery and equipment; Mixue in consumer F&B; and Meituan’s Keeta in on-demand digital services. The complementarity between the two economies is clear, but successful international expansion demands professionalism: deep study of Brazilian law and business practice, disciplined compliance and awareness that each market has its own culture and risk profile. One of the most sensitive differences is labor law.

巴西拥有二亿多人口的国内市场,同时也是进入拉丁美洲地区约六亿五千万消费者的可行跳板。规模庞大,供应链多样化,毗邻高增长的邻国,使其成为制造、服务、能源和资源的有吸引力的着陆点。 电动汽车、消费电子产品、科技服务以及重工业、商品、农贸企业和矿产等传统领域都存在机会。中国集团最近的举动说明了这一点:输电和基础设施方面的国家电网; 比亚迪在电动汽车和电池领域; 徐工集团的机械设备; 消费者餐饮业的蜜雪; 美团的Keeta在基于订单的数字服务方面等。两国经济之间的互补性是显而易见的,但成功的国际扩张需要专业精神:深入研究巴西的法律和商业惯例,严格合规,并意识到每个市场都有自己的文化和风险状况。 最敏感的差异之一是劳动法。

Brazil has a dedicated Labor Justice system (Justiça do Trabalho), separate from the ordinary courts and highly specialized in employment disputes; that specialization means non-compliance can become material, quickly. Key protections include a typical 44-hour workweek with overtime premiums, weekly rest, paid annual leave and the 13th-month salary; employers fund FGTS deposits and, in cases of unjustified dismissal, a 40% severance penalty over the FGTS balance. Beyond formal contracts, courts apply the “primacy of reality” principle, under which the facts of the working relationship prevail over the written terms, making misclassification of service providers a recurrent liability. Health and safety rules (NRs), proper role classification, time and attendance controls and attention to collective bargaining agreements are operational essentials.

巴西有专门的劳动司法系统(Justiça do Trabalho),与正常的法院系统相互独立,专门处理雇佣纠纷; 这种专业化意味着劳动上的不合规行动后果既严重又迅速。主要保护措施包括每周 44 小时工作制,加班费、每周休息、带薪年假和第 13 个月工资; 雇主FGTS 基金,如果无故解雇,则在 FGTS 余额中支付 40% 的遣散费。 在正式合同之外,法院还适用"事实为准"的原则,即工作关系的事实优先于书面条款约定,因此错误分类服务提供者成为经常性的责任。 健康与安全规则 (NR)、适当的角色分类、时间和出勤控制以及注意集体谈判协议是操作的要领。

Enforcement is active. Labor courts are accustomed to high volumes of employee claims, and the Public Labor Prosecution Service (Ministério Público do Trabalho) can investigate systemic issues and file public civil actions. In practice, jurisprudence often adopts protective principles toward the worker (reflecting the worker’s hyposufficiency), so conservative structuring, early compliance reviews and robust local HR processes are strongly recommended to avoid a silent build-up of labor liabilities that headquarters may not immediately detect.

在巴西，劳动执法是积极的。劳动法院惯常支持高额雇员的索赔,而公共劳动检察部门 (Ministério Público do Trabalho) 可以调查系统问题并提起公益民事诉讼。在实践中,判例往往对工人采取保护原则(反映出工人数量的不足),因此强烈建议传统的架构、事前合规审查和健全的当地人力资源流程,以避免劳役负担悄无声息地积累起来,而总部可能不会立即警觉。

This brief note provides introductory points for Chinese investors evaluating Brazil. The market is large and diverse, and opportunities are significant across multiple sectors; however, careful attention to labor compliance is essential to risk management and long-term value. Future posts may address additional topics relevant to foreign entrants, including Brazil’s tax reform and anti-corruption measures. Readers seeking to assess concrete projects should consult the specific legislation and sector rules applicable to their case and may reach out for guidance on market-entry pathways, deal structures and compliance frameworks.

本文为中国投资者评估巴西提供了入门要点。巴西当地市场庞大而多元,多个行业的机会很大。然而,仔细注意劳动合规对于风险管理和长期价值至关重要。 将来的文章可能会讨论与外国入境者相关的其他主题,包括巴西的税制改革和反贪污措施。读者欲评估具体项目,请查阅适用于其案件的具体立法和行业规则,并可寻求有关市场进入途径、交易结构和合规框架的指导。

撰稿：Felipe Assis

校译：胡伟