RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- A federal court on Monday denied an appeal of the Brazilian government that called for lifting a ban on Cristiane Brasil as the country's labor minister.

Brasil was a lawmaker before she was appointed as the labor minister earlier this month. However, she was accused of delaying payments to her driver and was therefore banned by a federal judge from taking her new post scheduled on Jan. 9.

The office of the Attorney General, which made the appeal, has yet to make any comments.

Brasil was elected as a lawmaker in 2015, following three terms as a city councilor in Rio de Janeiro.