In the complex tapestry of labor relations, the Labor Inspectors, also known as Auditors-Fiscais do Trabalho, in Brazil play a pivotal role in upholding and enforcing constitutional and legal provisions related to employment. With a mission to safeguard the rights of workers across diverse sectors, these professionals form an essential part of the country’s labor inspection system.
Who are the Labor Inspectors?
The Labor Inspectors are public servants who have the legal authority to ensure the application of the constitutional and legal provisions of labor, including the international conventions ratified by Brazil, the acts and decisions of the competent authorities, and the collective agreements, in regard to the protection of workers in the exercise of their labor activity.
The Labor Inspectors belong to the Secretariat of Labor Inspection (SIT), which is part of the Ministry of Labor and Employment. The SIT has two main areas of action: the “Labor Law” and the “Health and Safety at Work”. The former deals with the prevention and maintenance of labor rights in relation to the employer, while the latter focuses on the promotion and preservation of the physical and mental health of workers.
What do the Labor Inspectors do?
The Labor Inspectors are responsible for inspecting and guiding the activities related to urban, rural, domestic, port, maritime, and waterway work. They also combat the informality in the labor market, the social frauds, and all forms of precarious work. They are in charge of collecting the FGTS (Severance Indemnity Fund) and the social and union contributions, as well as expanding the reach of the labor legislation aimed at protecting child labor and including adolescent and disabled workers. Moreover, they promote the compliance of the ILO conventions ratified by Brazil and the collective agreements signed between the representatives of workers and employers.
The Labor Inspectors perform preventive and repressive functions and exercise an essential role in the observance of the legal order of labor, especially through the inspection actions.
Why are the Labor Inspectors important?
The Labor Inspectors are important because they contribute to the improvement of the working conditions and the quality of life of the workers in Brazil. They also help to prevent and resolve labor conflicts, to protect the social security system, and to promote the economic and social development of the country.
The Labor Inspectors are, therefore, agents of social justice and human dignity, who defend the rights and interests of the workers and the society as a whole.