Decree amends Worker's Food Program (PAT)

Decree No. 12,712 of 2025, published in the Official Gazette on November 12, 2025, introduced new regulations for the Worker's Food Program (PAT), aiming to modernize and expand the use of food vouchers by workers.

The decree, which is already in effect, adopted the use of an "open arrangement" (interoperability), allowing the card to be accepted in more establishments.

In this way, workers will continue to receive their food vouchers normally, and can now use their cards in more establishments and with different card brands, without being limited to exclusive networks, having more freedom to choose where to use the benefit.

It is important to emphasize that the PAT is exclusively for food. The decree prohibits the use of the benefit for any other purpose, such as credit, cashback, health plans, courses, or gyms.

Changes for companies

The new decree clarifies the operational rules of the benefits market, establishing limits on fees, payment deadlines, and parameters for interoperability between card brands. In other words, it modernizes the practice of integrating card brand systems in the same way that credit cards can be used on any point-of-sale terminal.

The objective is to ensure integrity, free competition, and exclusive allocation to worker food programs, without burdening companies participating in the PAT (Worker's Food Program).

Currently valid contracts that are inconsistent with the new decree cannot be extended. Therefore, companies and operators must renegotiate and adapt contractual clauses according to the transition periods defined for each topic: 90, 180, and 360 days after publication.

Source: Guia trabalhista