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Labour

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Women in Portugal Earned €244 a Month Less Than Men in 2024, Official Data Show

Full-time women earned EUR 243.90 less per month than men in 2024, a 14.5% gross-pay gap, according to Labour Ministry data. The gap has closed less than four points since 2017 and is widest in artistic and health and social-support work.

The Portugal Brief 06 Jul 2026

A small shop with staff serving customers on a cobbled street in central Lisbon, representing a Portuguese small business

Hiring Your First Employee in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Registering as an Employer with Segurança Social, Reporting the Hire, TSU Contributions, Mandatory Work-Accident Insurance and the New Simplified Contribution Cycle

Taking on staff turns you into an employer with duties that begin before day one. A practical 2026 guide to registering with Segurança Social, reporting the hire, the 34.75% TSU, compulsory work-accident insurance, the new automated contribution cycle and the true cost of a payroll.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

The Caixa Geral de Depósitos headquarters building in Lisbon at dusk

Supreme Court Rules Caixa Geral de Depósitos Must Index the Meal Allowance It Pays on Workers' Holidays

The Supremo Tribunal de Justiça has ruled that Caixa Geral de Depósitos must raise each year the meal allowance it pays to staff on holiday, overturning a lower court. It reinforces a wider principle: a benefit paid consistently for long enough becomes a right that cannot be frozen.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

Cyclists and pedestrians crossing a tree-lined avenue in central Lisbon

Unemployment in Portugal Retreats to 5.5% in May, the Lowest Since 2001, as the Workforce Hits a Record High

The jobless rate fell to 5.5% in May, its lowest since December 2001, while the employed population reached a record high — a robust labour market even as GDP growth stalls. Youth unemployment stays near 20%.

The Portugal Brief 02 Jul 2026

A golden dry wheat field with cork oak trees under a hazy blue summer sky in Portugal's Alentejo interior

As a 42°C Heatwave Builds, Portugal Leans on Existing Labour Law for Worker Protection While the ACT Notifies 200,000 Employers of Their Duties

As the IPMA forecasts highs near 42°C in Portugal's interior, the government says the law already protects workers — though it sets no temperature at which work stops. The ACT has notified 200,000 employers of their duty to provide water, ventilation and breaks.

The Portugal Brief 02 Jul 2026

A modern glass-clad office tower in Lisbon under a clear blue sky, representing the Portuguese workplace

Understanding Your Portuguese Employment Contract and Payslip in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Contract Types, the 14 Monthly Payments, the Subsídio de Refeição, TSU and IRS Withholding, Probation and What You're Owed When You Leave

Portuguese jobs pay across 14 instalments, not 12, and the payslip hides a lot: 11% Social Security, IRS withheld monthly, a tax-friendly meal allowance, and probation of up to 240 days. A practical guide to contracts, pay and what you're owed when a job ends.

The Portugal Brief 01 Jul 2026

The neoclassical Sao Bento Palace, seat of Portugal's parliament in Lisbon, with the national flag flying under a clear blue sky

Portugal Creates Two New Prison-Reintegration Careers With Pay Rising Up to €481 a Month by 2027

Portugal has created two new DGRSP social-reintegration careers for prison and probation staff, with pay rising up to €481 a month by 2027 and a €225 monthly risk supplement. Around 450 workers are affected in a targeted public-sector deal struck days after the labour-law overhaul stalled.

The Portugal Brief 01 Jul 2026

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