On November 11, 2025, President Lula signed Decree No. 12,712/2025 on the PAT (Worker’s Food Program), with the aim of modernizing the program and ensuring greater usability and transparency of food and meal voucher benefits.

Among the changes, employers enrolled in the PAT must review their contracts with the providers they have hired, within 90 days, so that the amounts loaded onto benefit cards can be used only for food and/or meals, and may not be used for other benefits such as gyms or pharmacies. In addition, employees must be informed that these amounts may not be used for other purposes.

With the adoption of the new system, there will be no change in the value of employees’ benefits, nor any extra cost for employers.

In addition, card machines and establishments that join the PAT will have 360 days to accept all benefit card brands. Providers operating with more than 500,000 workers must meet a 180-day deadline.

Through this decree, the Federal Government seeks to give employers greater flexibility in choosing among the benefit providers available on the market, given the broader acceptance of cards at establishments, as well as greater legal certainty by reducing the misuse of funds intended for employees’ food consumption.