Portugal
Continuous journey with a limit of five years? Workers will be able to request renewal
Publication: ECO
Author: Isabel Patrício
Source published: 22/10/2026, 06:03:49 UTC
Briefing created: 22/10/2026, 06:40:02 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 22/10/2026, 06:11:25 UTC.
Briefings
A new Portuguese law allows workers with children under 12 to request continuous work from January 2026, specifying a five-year deadline per request. While the law permits renewals, legal experts warn that the five-year limit may be interpreted as a one-time maximum rather than a renewable cap, creating potential labor disputes. The regime applies to public administration but is new in the private sector, where no such deadline exists.
Key points
- Workers with children under 12 can request continuous work from January 2026, requiring a written request with a specified deadline within a five-year limit.
- Legal experts interpret the five-year limit as a renewable cap per request rather than a one-time maximum, though ambiguity remains.
Context
This continuous work regime allows uninterrupted work for workers with children under 12 or those with specific health conditions, provided they meet collective bargaining or employer agreement requirements. The law was approved in late October 2025 and is currently being debated in the Portuguese Parliament.
Limitations
Evidence is limited to a single article discussing the new law's implementation rules. The five-year limit's enforceability is unclear, and the law's applicability to private sector employment is not fully detailed.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 22/10/2026, 06:40:02 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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