Background information

The collective agreement executed by the Association of Construction and Public Works Companies (Associação de Empresas de Construção e Obras Públicas e Serviços e outras, AECOPS), the Federation of Trade Unions of Industry and Service sectors (Federação dos Sindicatos da Indústria e Serviços - FETESE) and other worker organisations on 15 July 2017, then revised in 2021, stipulates the 'time bank' (banco de horas).

Content of measure

The time bank enables the worker to accumulate extra hours (overtime) outside his/her normal working hours and results in a written agreement between the employer and the worker. The need for additional work should be communicated by the employer to the worker at least five days in advance in writing, except if differently agreed or in cases of force majeure duly justified. The normal working hours may be increased up to two hours daily and 50 hours weekly, with the limit of 180 hours per year. The compensation for the extra work performed is made by an equivalent reduction of working time, to be utilised in the same calendar year. The employee may refuse the request due to force majeure, duly justified.

The time bank was revoked in the Labour Code (Law 93/2019 of 4 September), remaining in force by the application of collective agreements.

Covers the natural or legal entities in the national territory engaged in civil construction activity, and which are affiliated to the Association of Construction and Public Works Companies (Associação de Empresas de Construção e Obras Públicas e Serviços e outras, AECOPS).

Use of measure

A total of 85,311 employers and 304,600 employees are covered (Ordinance 377/2019 of 18 October).

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Employees in standard employment	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Trade unions Employers' organisations	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Unknown

Views and reactions

Unknown

Sources

• 15 July 2017: AECOPS, FETESE et al. (2017), Collective agreement of 15 July 2017 (bte.gep.msess.gov.pt)
• 04 September 2019: Law 93/2019 of 4 September (dre.pt)
• 08 October 2021: Employment Bullettin 28 of 8 October 2021 (bte.gep.msess.gov.pt)