On 28 April 2025, at 11:30 a.m., Portugal experienced an unprecedented event: a general blackout that left the country in darkness and paralysed the activities of thousands of workers throughout the country.
The impact was immediate and widespread, forcing many companies to dismiss their employees for the remainder of the working day or making it impossible for many to travel to their place of work.
Despite the event’s unpredictability, the legal interpretation seems clear: Workers retain the right to remuneration corresponding to the period in question. This understanding stems from the fact that the worker’s absence from work was due to an unforeseeable external cause.
In cases where the employer decided to dismiss the employees, the employer is undoubtedly responsible for paying their remuneration. On the other hand, it is also clear, as already stated, that remuneration must be maintained for employees who, given the circumstances, were unable to report to work.
It is therefore concluded that, despite any losses suffered by companies as a result of the blackout, they are not legally entitled to deduct any amount from their employees’ remuneration.
Labour Department
Hugo Martins Braz | Mariana Lacueva Barradas | Catarina Almeida
