At the beginning of February, the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) announced that it would be carrying out nationwide inspections throughout 2026, with a particular focus on areas considered to be priorities in the Portuguese labor market.
These inspections will be mainly focused on:
- Inadequate contractual relationships;
- The private security sector;
- Promoting equal pay for women and men.
Failure by companies to comply with the legal obligations may result in administrative offenses punishable by fines, as well as the imposition of corrective measures by ACT.
Inadequate contractual relationships
During the first half of 2026, ACT will pay particular attention to verifying the regularity of contractual relationships, particularly in the following cases: false provision of green receipts, undeclared work, misuse of fixed-term contracts, and temporary work.
Private security sector
Also in the first quarter of 2026, ACT intends to inspect employers operating in the private security sector.
In this context, ACT will focus its attention on the organization of working hours, payment of salaries, and other benefits, always bearing in mind the Collective Labor Regulation Instruments applied to the respective sector.
Equal pay for women and men
Inspections in the area of equal pay for women and men began in 2025 and will continue throughout 2026. The “Pay Transparency” Directive (Directive 2023/970, EU), which must be transposed by June 7, 2026, reinforces companies’ obligations in this area. In this context, ACT’s inspection activity already anticipates verification of compliance with the requirements arising from this new European framework.
In view of the increased inspections in these areas, there are some practical recommendations for companies, namely:
- Review the legal classification of existing contractual relationships;
- Verify the regularity of the social security contribution framework for employees;
- Ensure the timely payment of wages and allowances;
- Evaluating remuneration policies in light of the principle of equal pay;
- Complying with rules on working time;
- Ensuring that employment documentation is up to date and accessible in the event of an inspection.
