The UK government has published its promised national disability strategy setting out various steps it will take to remove barriers faced by disabled people in their lives. This article looks at the main work-related measures. The background In the latest Family Resources Survey (2019/20), over 14 million people in the UK (one in five) reported a disability, which was an increase of 2.7 million since 2009 to…
Ius Laboris UK firm Lewis Silkin have surveyed employers on how they are responding to the lifting of lockdown restrictions: many are maintaining a cautious approach. This was a pulse survey carried out between 19 and 21 July involving 59 HR leaders and in-house counsel in a cross-section of businesses collectively employing over 400,000 employees. The survey confirms that employers are taking a cautious approach…
On 17 June 2021, a bill was passed in the Belgian Parliament to extend and ease bereavement leave in the event of the death of a partner or a child. The aim of this law is to allow sufficient time, in a medical sense, for a natural and normal grieving process. Death of a spouse, cohabiting partner or child From 25 July 2021, bereavement leave…
Widespread remote work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new types of employment-related disputes. This round up of recent case law explores how some common issues relating to remote work have been treated by the…
Canada has introduced a new federal holiday: the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which will be observed on 30 September. On 3 June, 2021, Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) (the ‘Act’), received royal assent. The provisions come into force on 3 August 2021. The…
The French Labour Ministry has published a new set of COVID-19 health and safety guidelines for employees. On 30 June, the Ministry of Labour put online a new version of the National Protocol for employee health and safety in the workplace in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic (download below). This version aims ‘to prepare the fourth step of the reopening strategy related to the…
Für deutsche Unternehmer:innen ist es oftmals attraktiv, auf spezialisierte Freelancer:innen aus dem Ausland zurückzugreifen. Es ist längst klar, dass dies nicht nur ein vorübergehender Trend ist, denn auf dem deutschen Arbeitsmarkt zeichnet sich deutlich ab, dass die Zahl ausländischer Freelancer:innen stetig steigt. Flexibel einsetzbare Projektleiter:innen aus Drittstaaten sind insbesondere im IT-Bereich begehrte Mitarbeiter:innen. Möchten deutsche Unternehmer:innen ausländische Freelancer:innen für sich tätig werden lassen, müssen sie…
Under new gender pay gap proposals in Brazil, employers would face heavier penalties for failing to pay men and women equally. This article explains. On 30 March, the Brazilian Senate approved a legislative bill applying a new sanction to cases where organisations have a gender pay gap without a non-discriminatory reason. If approved by the President, the bill would increase the penalties but will not…
An employee who was dismissed for refusing to remove her headscarf which her employer claimed was problematic for its brand image was a victim of discrimination, according to a recent ruling from the French Court of Cassation. Background On her return from parental leave, a saleswoman employed by a clothing retailer came to work wearing a headscarf that concealed her hair, ears and neck. The employer…
The Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information has published its position on the processing of data relating to employees’ COVID-19 vaccination status. This article gives details. On 1 April 2021, the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (the ‘Authority’) communicated its position on vaccination data. This position applies solely to employees and only applies during the epidemic…