public labor

[/ˈpʌblɪk ˈleɪbər/]
nounpl: public labors
trabalho público
1. Work performed for the public good or the state, typically involving infrastructure, maintenance, or services benefiting the community
Public labor built many of the roads and bridges in our country.
O trabalho público construiu muitas das estradas e pontes do nosso país.
2. Labor performed by government employees or workers employed in the public sector
Public labor includes teachers, nurses, and maintenance workers.
O trabalho público inclui professores, enfermeiros e trabalhadores de manutenção.
3. Mandatory work assigned to individuals, often as a form of punishment or civic duty (historical context)
In some countries, public labor was required as part of judicial sentences.
Em alguns países, o trabalho público era exigido como parte de sentenças judiciais.
In Brazil, 'trabalho público' is commonly associated with employment in government agencies (prefeituras, secretarias) and the concept of stable, benefits-rich employment through civil service exams (concursos públicos). In the United States, public labor often refers to organized labor unions in government sectors. Historically, the term can reference mandatory community service or sentencing alternatives in both countries.
NYC Slang
gov work / city job
Synonyms / Sinônimos
public servicegovernment workcivic laborcommunity service
Antonyms / Antônimos
private laborprivate sector workindependent work

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
trabalho público
Standard term used throughout Brazil for government employment and public sector work
São Paulo
trabalho público / serviço público
Both terms used interchangeably in business and government contexts
Rio de Janeiro
trabalho público
Common in discussions of municipal and state employment
Portugal
trabalho público
Used similarly to Brazil; also 'serviço público' for public services

Related Words

public sectorcivil serviceinfrastructurepublic workslabor forceemployment

Related Idioms & Phrases

public labor force
public labor dispute
public labor market
public labor standards
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →