# Law No. 8856 of March 1, 1994

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647438](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647438)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-8856-of-march-1-1994

## Summary
Law No. 8856 of March 1, 1994, officially titled "Lei nº 8856, de 1 de março de 1994," is a Brazilian federal statute that establishes the working hours for physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Promulgated by President Itamar Franco, this legislation fixes the professional workday for these two healthcare categories within Brazil. It applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil and is classified as a formal legal decision.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 8856, de 1 de março de 1994
- **Short Citation:** Lei nº 8856/1994
- **Date of Publication:** March 1, 1994
- **Promulgation Location:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgating Official:** Itamar Franco (President)
- **Legal Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Main Subject:** Decision regarding the fixing of professional standards
- **Core Regulation:** Fixes the workday ("jornada de trabalho") for physiotherapists and occupational therapists
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Official Identifier (URN):** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-03-01;8856
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l8856.htm
- **WikiProject:** Part of WikiProject Brazilian Laws
- **Context of Enactment:** Enacted during the presidency of Itamar Franco, prior to the implementation of the Brazilian Real currency (July 1994).

## FAQs
**What is the main purpose of Law No. 8856/1994?**
The primary purpose of this law is to fix and regulate the professional working hours ("jornada de trabalho") for two specific healthcare professions in Brazil: physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

**Who approved and enacted this law?**
The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and formally promulgated by President Itamar Franco on March 1, 1994.

**Where does this law apply?**
This is a federal statute, meaning it applies to the entire jurisdiction of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

**How is this law formally identified and accessed?**
The law is officially identified by the LexML Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-03-01;8856` and is legally cited as "Lei nº 8856/1994." The full text is publicly available on the official Planalto Palace website.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 8856/1994 matters as a specific instance of labor regulation within the broader Brazilian legal framework. By establishing a fixed workday for physiotherapists and occupational therapists, it provided professional structure and labor protections for these healthcare categories at a federal level. The statute serves as a concrete manifestation of statutory law in Brazil, functioning as a formal written document that created a specific legal norm. Its enactment during the Itamar Franco presidency places it in a significant historical context, just months before the economic stabilization brought about by the introduction of the Plano Real. As a statute, it represents the exercise of government authority to define professional standards, ensuring these rules are documented, accessible, and enforceable throughout the national territory.

## Notable For
- **Specific Labor Regulation:** Distinguished by its narrow focus on regulating the workday for two specific healthcare professions—physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
- **Historical Context:** Enacted on March 1, 1994, during the transitional government of Itamar Franco, roughly four months before the successful launch of the new Brazilian currency (the Real).
- **Legal Classification:** Serves as a clear example of a "statute," a formal written document that creates law, as opposed to other legal instruments.
- **Federal Scope:** A nationwide federal law applying to all of Brazil, illustrating the reach of the Presidency's legislative power.
- **Digital Accessibility:** Fully accessible via the official government portal (Planalto), ensuring public domain access to legal texts.

## Body

### Legal Identity and Classification
Law No. 8856 of March 1, 1994, is formally classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law. In the context of legal ontology, it is an instance of a "legal term or legal concept" and a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." As a statute, it is preceded by "draft laws" and is caused by "legislation" or a "legal act." Its primary function is to act as a manifestation of statutory law, containing "legal norms" as its component parts.

### Core Subject and Regulation
The law's digest is explicitly stated in Portuguese: "FIXA A JORNADA DE TRABALHO DOS PROFISSIONAIS FISIOTERAPEUTA E TERAPEUTA OCUPACIONAL" (Fixes the workday of physiotherapist and occupational therapist professionals). Its main subject is classified as a **decision**, specifically regarding the "fixation" of these professional standards. This regulation directly impacts the labor conditions of two key healthcare professions in Brazil.

### Jurisdiction and Authority
This statute applies to the entire **Federative Republic of Brazil** as its jurisdiction. It was promulgated in the capital city, **Brasília**, and its authority derives from the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The specific individual responsible for its promulgation on March 1, 1994, was President **Itamar Franco**. This act of promulgation represents the final step in the legislative process, making the law official and binding.

### Official Identification and Access
The law is tracked and referenced through multiple official systems:
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-03-01;8856`
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 8856/1994
- **Official URL:** The full text is hosted on the Brazilian government's official legislative portal at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l8856.htm`.
- **Language:** The text is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil.

### Historical and Political Context
Enacted on **March 1, 1994**, the law was passed during the presidency of Itamar Franco, who served from 1992 to 1994. This period was critical in Brazilian history, leading up to the implementation of the **Plano Real** in July 1994, which successfully stabilized the economy and introduced the modern Brazilian currency, the real (BRL). Law No. 8856 represents a piece of routine but essential federal legislation focusing on professional regulation rather than macroeconomic policy. Its creation followed the standard legislative process where draft bills are debated and, upon approval, become statutes through promulgation by the executive branch.

### Related Entities
The law is intrinsically linked to several broader entities:
- **Brazil:** The country of origin and jurisdiction, a federal republic in South America with its capital in Brasília.
- **Statute:** The general class of legal documents to which this law belongs, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws.
- **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil:** The executive body that approved and promulgated the law.
- **Itamar Franco:** The head of state who enacted the law in his role as President.
- **WikiProject Brazilian Laws:** The law is included in this specific Wikimedia project, indicating its categorization and relevance within structured knowledge about Brazilian legislation.

These relationships position Law No. 8856 not just as an isolated rule, but as a specific node within the vast network of Brazilian statutory law, connected to the country's political structure, historical timeline, and legal classification systems.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-03-01;8856)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=8856&ano=1994&data=01/03/1994&ato=7fbMTSE50dJpWT41a)
3. LexML Brasil