2023-04-16 17:00:03
Changes to the Worker’s Food Program (PAT), which were sanctioned by the Federal Senate in 2022, should be definitively implemented as of May 1, 2023. The objective of the program is to improve the conditions of meals for Brazilian employees.
One of the new rules established is that the benefits must only be used for the purchase of food products. It will not be allowed to buy other products, such as cigarettes, with food stamps (VA) and meal stamps (VR). It is important for companies to guide their employees about this information to ensure the transparency of the organization and avoid disputes.
Another important point that companies should pay attention to is about prepaid payment and the end of rebate. Now, the VA and VR must always be prepaid, that is, the subsequent payment of the benefit is prohibited. In addition, the practice known as rebate, in which benefit companies were authorized to give discounts to contracting companies, will no longer be allowed.
This practice ended up having a negative bias for the user, as to recover the discount, the brands charged a higher fee from the establishments, which was passed on to the customer.
In 2023, the program may still undergo other changes under discussion between the Ministry of Labor and the Brazilian Association of Worker Benefit Companies (ABBT), such as the expansion of the network. With the new regulation, the worker will be able to use his benefits even in places where his flag does not have accreditation, as long as the establishment accepts food and meal vouchers. This will increase competition and allow for more advantages for both workers and establishments, which will not be tied to a single company.
Another rule under discussion is about portability, which may allow the worker to request the portability of the card brand to the contractor, free of charge, offering more freedom to use the benefits.
For the marketing director of Up Brasil, a company specializing in corporate benefit cards, Taís Lange, the changes will be positive for both companies and workers. Companies will have tax gains, such as double deductibility of income tax and exemption from labor charges, in addition to a more productive and engaged team. Workers, on the other hand, will have more freedom and economy in the use of benefits, in addition to the possibility of expanding in places to eat.
Source: Up Brasil/Noir Comunicação
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