Cláudia C. Ribeiro da Silva explains how breaks during work operate
Cláudia C. Ribeiro da Silva, associate lawyer at Abreu Advogados, explains in an interview with Executive Digest that Portuguese labour law distinguishes between short interruptions (such as brief breaks for a snack or unavoidable personal needs), which count as working time, and the rest break (between one and two hours), which is deducted and must take place before five consecutive hours of work have been completed.
The lawyer, who works mainly in Employment Law, notes that smoking or coffee breaks are not expressly provided for, but they may be tolerated or regulated by the company, which cannot prohibit basic personal needs. “The employer cannot forbid these short interruptions, but may set conditions for them,” she states.
