A significant change is about to be implemented for those who use meal or food vouchers issued by companies such as Alelo, Ticket, VR Benefícios, Pluxee, Flash, or Swile. Starting in November, these cards must be accepted at any payment terminal enabled for this type of benefit, concluding a transition phase that began in May and expands the possibilities of using the benefit.
This determination is part of a set of new guidelines from the Worker Feeding Program (PAT), which was announced by the government in February of this year. In November, the adaptation period ends, and the rule that guarantees that any card belonging to the program can be used at any machine capable of receiving the benefit comes into full effect.
The main transformation introduced is called interoperability, which simplifies the operational scenario. In practice, this feature eliminates the requirement for restaurants, supermarkets, and other points of sale to maintain specific agreements or equipment for each meal or food voucher brand.
What changes starting in November?
Although the integration between systems began in May, the adjustment period was completed last Saturday. Previously, some companies were still in the migration process. At the beginning of September, g1 reported that more than one hundred companies had been notified by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) to provide documentation and clarifications regarding possible failures in complying with PAT rules.
With full interoperability, the worker gains the freedom to use their card at any commercial location that accepts this benefit, without depending on the company that issued the card.
Will the benefit amount change?
There will be no change in the amount of the meal or food voucher provided by companies to employees under the new rules. Furthermore, the use of these resources for purposes other than food remains prohibited. Thus, the amounts remain exclusively intended for the purchase of ready meals or food items, according to the benefit modality. The change aims to broaden the options for using the benefit and foster competition in the sector, without increasing the amount received by the worker.
What has changed since February?
Even though full interoperability only starts to apply in November, other regulations have been in force since February. Among the most relevant changes are: a maximum limit of 3.6% for the fee applied to sales processed with meal and food vouchers; a ceiling of 2% for the exchange fee; and a maximum period of 15 calendar days for the sales money to be transferred to the establishments.
Previously, merchants frequently complained about high fees and long waiting periods to receive payments, which could exceed 30 days. The government justifies these rules as an effort to reduce costs and make the acceptance of benefits more advantageous for businesses of all sizes.
What do the operators say?
After the disclosure of the new rules, some operators have challenged the decree legally. These companies argue that the government exceeded its authority by establishing tariff limits and promoting structural transformations through a decree.
What happens if the rules are not complied with?
Contracts and operations linked to the PAT must strictly adhere to the guidelines established in the decree. Non-compliance with these rules can result in various consequences, such as fines, sanctions, de-registration from the program, and the requirement to return tax benefits previously enjoyed. Penalties may fall on the operators, the companies participating in the PAT, and the businesses, depending on the nature of the infraction found.
