Workers' feeding program: how to be part of PAT?

The worker's food programme, known by the acronym PAT, is a resource created by the Federal Government in 1976, offering advantages to companies and their employees. 

In short, it is a policy that encourages organisations to take care of the nutritional health of those who receive up to five minimum wages per month. Throughout this article you will understand more about:

• What is PAT - Worker's Food Program;
• who can participate and how to join. 

After all, what is PAT - Worker's Food Program?

The worker's food programme is a programme developed and encouraged by the Brazilian government to ensure the quality of life and nutritional health of those who are considered low-income, i.e. receive up to five minimum wages per month.

It works as follows: the organisation that chooses to take part can deduct up to 4% of the expenses it has with feeding its employees directly from its Income Tax. In addition, the company provides the allowances and the employee contributes with, at most, 20% of the value of each of the meals. 

It's important to keep in mind that this benefit is not a wage. This means that the organizations are exempted from paying FGTS and INSS over the amount offered through PAT. 

How to implement this system in the company?

It is not difficult to participate in the worker's feeding programme. Most companies are eligible, all that is required is to be a legal entity with at least one contracted employee. 

If you are eligible, just access the PAT page and fill out the online form with company information. There is also the option of filling it out physically at any post office branch. 

The next step is to decide through which modality the benefit will be offered to the employees. Some examples are via a basic food basket, meal vouchers, food vouchers or flexible benefit systems that are part of the programme. This last one is the most practical for companies and also the most economical!

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