Politics · Brazil · 16 hrs ago
Brazil's labor court raises compensation for pregnant worker to R$30,000
Brazil's Superior Labor Court raised compensation to R$30,000 for a pregnant worker who was made to vomit into a waste bin at work.
Her supervisor provided the bin at her customer-service post to reduce her trips to the bathroom and interruptions in service.
A lower court had recognized workplace harassment and set compensation at R$10,000, but an appeals court reduced it to R$5,000.
The worker appealed, and the labor court's seventh panel found that the treatment violated her dignity, privacy and physical and mental well-being.
The panel said the earlier award was too low to compensate her or discourage similar conduct.
It set the higher amount based on the seriousness of the conduct, her pregnancy, the employer's financial size and the need to prevent a repeat.
The ruling raises the employer's compensation to R$30,000.
Brazil’s Superior Labor Court raised compensation for a pregnant worker from R$5,000 to R$30,000.
The worker’s supervisor provided a trash bin for her to vomit at her service station, according to the case.
A witness said the bin was intended to reduce her trips to the bathroom and interruptions to customer service.
The court said the conduct violated the worker’s dignity, privacy, physical and mental integrity, and rights to maternity and health protections.
The compensation was increased to address the harm and discourage the practice from being repeated.
- Who
- A pregnant worker and her employer; the employer’s supervisor provided the trash bin.
- What
- Brazil’s Superior Labor Court raised the worker’s moral-damages compensation from R$5,000 to R$30,000.
- When
- The decision was reported on October 21, 2026. The decision date is not stated.
- Where
- Brazil. The case was heard by the Superior Labor Court’s Seventh Panel.
- Why
- The court found that the conduct violated the worker’s dignity, privacy, physical and mental integrity, and maternity and health protections.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A court recognized moral harassment and awarded R$10,000 in compensation.
The TRT of the 2nd Region upheld the finding of abusive conduct but reduced compensation to R$5,000.
The worker appealed to raise the compensation.
The Superior Labor Court’s Seventh Panel increased compensation to R$30,000.
- Compensation after Superior Labor Court ruling
- R$30,000
- Previous compensation set by regional court
- R$5,000
- First-instance compensation
- R$10,000
- Court
- Superior Labor Court (TST), Seventh Panel
- Case number
- 1000493-36.2019.5.02.0608
3 sources
What people are saying
conduta patronal revela contornos de perversidade, em que a higidez física e psíquica da trabalhadora gestante foi integralmente sacrificada em prol das métricas de produtividade do sistema de atendimento
compelir uma empregada gestante a vivenciar a manifestação de sintomas gestacionais de náusea e vômito no próprio posto de trabalho, sob a imposição de utilização de um cesto de lixo para tal finalidade, constitui severa afronta ao direito à intimidade e à preservação da dignidade