LABOR GUARANTEES AS MECHANISMS THAT HELP PREVENT BURNOUT

Abstract

Work-related mental illness has intensified in recent decades, especially in light of changes in the organization of work and the worsening of psychosocial conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disorders such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and burnout syndrome have come to occupy a central place in public health debates, requiring approaches that go beyond individual clinical interventions. In this context, this present study aims to analyze labor rights as preventive instruments for mental illness, highlighting their relevance for protecting workers' mental health. This is a bibliographic study based on scientific publications in the fields of health, occupational psychology, and labor legislation published between 2015 and 2025. The analysis shows that measures such as limiting daily and weekly working hours, paid weekly rest, breaks during and between working days, and the right to vacation are structural mechanisms of care, promoting physical and mental rest and reducing occupational stress. It is observed that systematic disregard for these rights contributes to mental overload, emotional exhaustion, and a loss of meaning in work. It is concluded that the enforcement of labor rights should be understood as a strategy for promoting mental health, reinforcing the need for interdisciplinary actions and public policies that articulate health, work, and social protection.