Senators defined the rules for the return of face-to-face work in Brasília, after years of remote and blended sessions due to the Covid-19 pandemic| Photo: Jane de Araújo/ Senado Agency

The first meeting of Senate leaders, held this Tuesday (28), made official an old custom in the House, of not scheduling deliberative sessions on Mondays and Fridays, preventing the absences of senators on the first and last working days of each week are considered absences. The working hours were again considered only the period after 2 pm. The so-called small office, open to speakers, will continue to be from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, followed by the start of the deliberative session.

When the return of fully face-to-face sessions in the Senate was also celebrated, after three years of remote or semi-face-to-face activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, President Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG) also ended up giving in to requests to keep remote sessions in last week of each month, “as long as the agenda is calm”.

Mondays and Fridays continue to be non-deliberative sessions, generally dedicated to tributes and debates of specific interests. As per the old custom, on Thursdays the deliberative session starts earlier, at 10:00 am, so that senators can return to their states in the afternoon. The weekly meetings of leaders, to define agendas over the days, will continue to be held on Thursdays at 9 am, and in person.

The decisions of the Senate command contrast with the rigor required of most workers and the set of other facilities accessed by parliamentarians. With the increase approved at the end of last year, senators’ salaries will rise from R$39,200 a month to R$41,600 in April.