government Portugal will finance with a maximum of 350,000 Euros a six-month pilot program for test the four-day workweek In private sector companies that will start in the second half of 2023.
The Portuguese Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) will be responsible for financing this program, which will be run with the support of Birkbeck University in London and the 4-Day Week Global Foundation.
“IEFP bears the costs and expenses necessary for the development of the pilot program, up to a global maximum of 350,000 euros” and “all logistics, administrative and financial support required”, published in the Portuguese Cumhuriyet Newspaper this week. All private sector companies interested in this program, reduce weekly working hours while maintaining the same salary for the “vast majority” of its employees.
IEFP announced that they will launch disclosure sessions and preparatory workshops before the end of the year for selected companies in the first period of 2023. one month cooldownfor companies to decide whether they want to go back to the five-day week or adopt a hybrid model to decide to keep the new organization,” adds the Institute.
In the public sector, a study will be conducted to regulate working hours and pilot applications will be developed for a 4-day working week.
The four-day working week has been the subject of public debate in Portugal. The Socialist Party included him in the electoral program -for certain sectors- for the parliamentary elections held on 30 January, which they won by absolute majority.
However, a recent survey shows that Portuguese employers doubt the four-day work week is a good thing for companies and more than half think it benefits more or only workers. A survey of 1,130 companies by the Portuguese Businessmen’s Association (AEP) shows that none of them believe that the four-day week benefits companies more or only.