despedimento coletivo
Published 4 November 2026, 21:42
despedimento coletivo (collective redundancy)
Collective redundancy: the employer ends the contracts of several workers at once or within a three-month period, for reasons that have nothing to do with the workers themselves — closing part of the business, cutting staff, restructuring production. It follows a written procedure: notifications, negotiation of terms, the involvement of the relevant ministry and compensation (Código do Trabalho, articles 359–366).
Where you come across it. Job cuts, closures of sites and departments, DGERT labour market statistics.
This is not a dismissal for misconduct: the reason has nothing to do with the worker. If there are no written notices and no deadlines, the procedure has not been followed.