Labor prosecutors sue Americanas for BRL 600,000

The Public Prosecutor's Office for Labor in Sergipe filed a public civil action against Americanas for violating statutory working hour limits. An investigation based on timecard records confirmed staff worked over 15 hours in a single day, well above Brazil's legal standard of eight hours per day, 44 hours per week, and a maximum of two overtime hours up to a strict 12-hour limit.

Investigators also confirmed employees worked 10 consecutive days without regular weekly rest and failed to receive the mandatory 11-hour rest interval between shifts before being summoned back to work. Labor prosecutor Márcio Amazonas filed the lawsuit after settlement talks with the retailer failed.

The lawsuit asks the Labor Court to order Americanas to comply with legal working hours and guarantee the 11-hour rest period between shifts. The prosecutor seeks BRL 600,000 in collective moral damages, as well as non-compliance fines of BRL 40,000 per breached obligation plus BRL 4,000 for each recorded violation.

Americanas stated that it received formal notice on September 25, 2026, and is reviewing the case details to respond in court. The retailer reiterated its commitment to legal compliance, labor obligations, and ethical relationships with its staff.