The Case of the Four Hours

Inspector Hale: Brazil's Senate cut the workweek to forty hours, pay unchanged. Wren: who pays? The Ledger: the constitution itself; the six-days-on, one-day-off schedule is abolished, two paid rest days phased in, and employers must adapt. Hale: the Senate left the lower house's text alone, so it goes straight to promulgation. Nightjar: a win for Lula before the runoff. Wren: four fewer hours, same number of Mondays.

Brazil's Senate wrote a shorter week into the constitution on October 14: the six-days-on, one-day-off schedule is abolished, the maximum week falls from 44 hours to 40 with pay unchanged and the change phased in, and because the Senate left the lower house's text alone it goes straight to promulgation, a win for President Lula ahead of the runoff.

Starring

Inspector HaleWrenThe LedgerNightjar