STF vetoes fines for companies that fail to comply with mental health rules for 90 days
Minister André Mendonça, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), suspended on Thursday (25) the fines for non-compliance with mental health rules in companies, provided for in the new wording of NR-1 (Regulatory Standard No. 1), which came into effect on May 26. The suspension is valid for 90 days to facilitate the construction of an agreement between the government and companies.
The injunction responded to a request from Confenen (National Confederation of Educational Establishments) and will be submitted to a plenary referendum between the 7th and 18th of August.
The NR-1 update included psychosocial risks in the management of occupational risks in companies, alongside physical, chemical, biological and accident risks. The standard includes factors such as moral harassment, abusive goals and overload among psychosocial risks. In May, around 57.8% of companies had not yet adapted their risk plan to NR-1.
In his decision, the minister stated that the agreement must overcome the "vagueness of the current rules" and provide a greater degree of certainty and objectivity. According to him, the solution must be able to resolve the practical difficulties alleged in the application of the rule without relaxing the degree of protection of fundamental rights that the regulation aims to protect.
As CNN showed, NR-1 is the basic Occupational Health and Safety guideline in Brazil. It requires companies to adopt Occupational Risk Management through the Risk Management Program.
The update to Regulatory Standard No. 1 now requires companies to identify and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace. The change occurs amid the increase in sick leave due to mental disorders in Brazil, which cost the INSS (National Social Security Institute) almost R$1 billion in 2025.
Just last year, Brazil reached a historic record of more than 546,000 absences from work due to mental disorders - an increase of 15.6% compared to 2024, according to Social Security.
Source: CNN