taú Layoffs: Can Workers Be Monitored While Working from Home? What are the limits? See what the law says.

According to the bank workers’ union, around 1,000 employees were laid off from the bank after a productivity assessment. Experts state that it is crucial to have a clear agreement between the company and the worker regarding rights, duties, and how work is monitored.

This week, Itaú laid off around 1,000 employees who were working in a hybrid or remote model, according to the Bank Workers’ Union. The decision was made after a productivity evaluation of their work from home.

In a statement sent to g1, the bank said the decision was made after a “careful review of conduct related to remote work and time logging.” There was, therefore, an incompatibility between the work performed and the workers’ time records.

The case has reignited the debate among labor and employment experts about mechanisms for assessing productivity in a home-office setting. How can productivity be measured? Is it appropriate to monitor an employee’s computer?

🔎 According to labor lawyer Luana Couto Bizerra, companies can install monitoring software on corporate computers to control work hours, productivity, and information security.

The practice is permitted under labor law, provided it is adopted with transparency, proportionality, and a legitimate purpose.

The monitoring of hours and productivity should be done through appropriate means, such as an electronic time clock or by setting goals, while avoiding excesses that could embarrass the employee.

Additionally, the company must respect the worker’s privacy and the General Data Protection Law (LGPD).

“Requiring a camera to be on all the time is not allowed. Its use must be specific and justifiable, such as during meetings or training sessions,” says the expert.

“The sensitive issue arises when the company does not provide equipment and tries to install monitoring software on the employee’s personal computer. In this case, there is a risk of invading the employee’s privacy and personal life,” the expert adds.

Right to Disconnect

Another point highlighted by the expert is that hour tracking must respect the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) and the so-called “right to disconnect.”

🔎 In other words: the employer can require an electronic time clock or other means of monitoring, but this does not mean the worker has to be available all the time.

It is essential to respect the worker’s breaks and personal needs. Furthermore, screen time alone does not indicate availability: the employee might be performing tasks that do not require direct interaction with the computer.

Many employees perform tasks such as analyzing documents, serving customers by phone, strategic planning, and other cognitive or communication activities that are not logged on the screen.

A former Itaú marketing employee, who prefers to remain anonymous, stated that they spent a significant part of their workday using their cell phone or TV to study content for the institution’s media channels.

They say that work time spent off the computer was not monitored, although managers encouraged employees to seek references on social media.

“The bank didn’t provide cell phones to everyone. In 2025, with the widespread use of WhatsApp, only coordinators and managers had corporate devices. So, work done off the computer was not monitored,” the former employee reports.

Termination Without Warning

The bank workers’ union criticized Itaú’s decision, stating that workers were dismissed without prior warning and without dialogue with the union, “a clear disregard for bank employees and for the relationship with the union movement.”

“The bank claims the terminations are based on records of inactivity on corporate machines, in some cases, periods of four hours or more of supposed idleness,” said Maikon Azzi, a union director and Itaú employee, in a statement.

“However, we consider this criterion to be extremely questionable, as it does not take into account the complexity of remote banking work, possible technical failures, health issues, burnout, or even the organization of work by the teams themselves,” he added.

For Leyla Nascimento, president of the Brazilian Association of Human Resources (ABRH Brasil), before a dismissal, a worker is expected to receive feedback on their performance. However, a formal warning is not mandatory.

“Before any dismissal, constant monitoring by leadership is essential,” says the expert.

Dismissed workers interviewed by g1 say they did not receive negative performance reviews and, in some cases, were even internally recognized for good performance. They also reported daily difficulties with logging their time electronically.

“I didn’t expect it. I was in an individual development program (IDP), always with positive feedback and being given more responsibilities. Regardless of whether I worked 8 hours or 3 hours, there was never a question as long as the deliverables were met on time,” a former employee reports.

Another former employee was also surprised by the dismissal: “There were times of idleness in the area where I worked, but I always kept my leaders informed about ongoing and completed tasks.”

Good Practices for Home Office

Remote work is not new, but it gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, experts warn that there is no global consensus on the best way to evaluate it.

As g1 reported in February, more and more companies are returning to an in-person model, citing difficulties with productivity and team integration. In São Paulo, the vacancy rate in corporate buildings has fallen to its lowest levels since the beginning of the health crisis in 2020.

For Leyla Nascimento, it is essential to have a clear agreement between the company and the worker about rights, duties, and monitoring methods. She states that monitoring is necessary to preserve the relationship of trust between the professional and the employer.

“Both in-person and remotely, the professional is being monitored. By accepting hybrid work, the employee must understand that daily monitoring is part of the company’s routine,” explains the ABRH president.

She also points out the emotional challenges of remote work, such as difficulty concentrating and feelings of isolation, factors that impact productivity and reinforce the need for continuous monitoring.

According to labor lawyer Maurício Corrêa da Veiga, good practices in the home office include providing equipment, adequate training, defining clear rules, proportional monitoring, and respecting privacy and the right to disconnect.

On the employees’ side, this means meeting hours and goals, communicating technical problems, maintaining a professional demeanor, and taking care of the company’s equipment and information.

According to experts, remote work requires discipline, flexibility, and mutual trust. Monitoring should be understood not just as a form of control, but as a tool for tracking results—always with respect for the worker’s rights and privacy.