Brazil's Supreme Court Creates Bonus That Could Raise Aides' Pay by Up to 22.5%

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) has approved a significant salary increase for certain staff members, potentially boosting the pay of aides and cabinet chiefs by up to 22.5%. The new benefit, officially termed Gratification for the Exercise of High Complexity, Technical, and Administrative Activities (Gaacta), is designed for employees in high-complexity roles. This move mirrors similar benefits already in place at other superior courts, such as the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), which implemented a 15% bonus for its commissioned employees in May.

The STF defends the creation of Gaacta, asserting that it was preceded by thorough technical and budgetary evaluations. In a statement, the court emphasized that the regulation aligns with practices in other superior courts and councils. The STF also clarified that the benefit is subject to the constitutional salary cap, currently set at R$46.4 thousand. However, unlike some other salary components, Gaacta is exempt from income tax and social security deductions.

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The regulation was preceded by technical and budgetary assessment and follows a model adopted by other superior courts and councils.

This new bonus is expected to benefit approximately 276 servers, with an estimated average monthly increase of R$5,300 per individual. The funding for these payments will come from the STF's own budget, and there will be no retroactive payments. The calculation base for the bonus depends on the employee's status: for tenured civil servants, it's based on their salary; for those without a permanent link to public administration, it's based on the value of their appointed position. For non-tenured cabinet chiefs, the bonus could amount to R$4,323 on a base salary of up to R$18,000.

Notably, the Gaacta bonus can still be paid during leaves of absence and will be included in the calculation for the 13th salary. This development occurs despite a previous STF decision aimed at curbing excessive spending and benefits within the judiciary, which primarily targeted magistrates, prosecutors, and attorneys rather than general staff. The court's resolution also includes provisions to prevent the bonus from being used to circumvent the constitutional salary cap or to compensate for salary reductions made to comply with it, prohibiting changes to the calculation base or functional classification to neutralize the cap's effect.

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The benefit is expressly submitted to the ceiling.