Brazil committee passes civil service reform bill that trims employee payroll growth

FILE PHOTO: A man walks near the National Congress building, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil, March 19, 2021. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Legislation aimed at reducing the size of the Brazilian state and trimming the growth of public payrolls cleared the committee stage in the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday in a significant advance for the government's reform agenda.

Despite opposition objections, the measure amends the country's constitution to loosen guarantees for public servants, toughening performance criteria and allowing the contracting of temporary employees for up to 10 years.