The Ministério Público do Paraná (MP-PR) has approved a package of four extra payments for its prosecutors and attorneys, a move that directly challenges recent directives from Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF). The resolutions, published this week and signed by Attorney General of Justice Francisco Zanicotti, authorize bonuses that can increase a prosecutor's total monthly compensation by up to 35%.
These payments are classified as indemnificatory, a legal distinction that allows them to bypass the constitutional salary cap of R$46,300. Without these extras, a prosecutor's base salary can reach approximately R$39,000, while an attorney's can approach R$42,000. The new bonuses include a gratification for the accumulation of functions, such as work on special groups and task forces, which can add up to 35% to the base salary.
Additional approved payments include a 3% bonus per dependent child under six years old for early childhood protection, a 5% increase for every five years of service, and a special gratification for working in jurisdictions deemed 'difficult to fill.' These locations, often remote or under-resourced, include cities like Toledo, Pato Branco, Cascavel, Foz do Iguaçu, and Francisco Beltrão.
This administrative action comes as the STF is actively working to curb what it terms 'penduricalhos'—extra payments that allow public servants to exceed salary caps. Just days after the Paraná MP's decision, STF ministers Alexandre de Moraes, Cristiano Zanin, and Gilmar Mendes issued rulings to reinforce prohibitions against measures designed to circumvent the Court's restrictions. The ministers specifically cited the reclassification of jurisdictions and new accumulation bonuses as potential 'paths of circumvention.'
The MP-PR defended its actions in an official statement, claiming the resolutions actually comply with and standardize payments as ordered by the STF, the National Council of Justice (CNJ), and the National Council of the Public Ministry. The statement argues the new rules eliminate previous local benefits and establish uniform, national gratifications within the limits set by the Supreme Court.
The move follows a similar, but ultimately reversed, attempt by the Tribunal de Justiça do Paraná (TJPR). In late April, the state court published resolutions creating new bonuses, including a 'magistrado tutor' role with up to R$14,000 in extra monthly pay. The TJPR quickly revoked these resolutions to avoid establishing a legal regime that could be seen as contrary to the STF's recent guidance.
Based on reporting from g1.