Infos France: step forwards towards right to four weeks paid leave per year for non-occupational illnesses and accidents at work Following a positive opinion from the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, the government presented on 15 March an amendment to its bill to adapt to European Union law,…
Infos Australia: paid parental leave extended to 26 weeks On 18 March, the Federal Parliament passed the bill extending paid parental leave, which has been supported by the Labour government since 2022.…
Essentiels Supporting parenthood in the workplace: a win-win strategy Organisations are constantly innovating when it comes to parenthood, with measures such as extended parental leave with 100% pay, support for employees during assisted reproduction, flexible working, and contracts adapted to the school calendar. While these initiatives meet employees' expectations and promote their well-being at work, they also contribute to gender equality and the attractiveness and performance of the company. This is a movement encouraged within the EU by the application of the directive on work-life balance for parents and carers.
Infos EU: member states adopt watered-down due diligence directive at the last minute After the texts on non-financial reporting (CSRD) and forced labour, the EU will complete its regulatory framework on CSR with a directive on corporate sustainability due diligence. The text adopted by member states, which has been watered down further, now only requires formal adoption by the European Parliament and Council, expected at the end of April.
Infos Netherlands: public consultation launched on proposed reform of non-competition clauses The Dutch government has adopted a plan to tighten the rules on non-competition clauses. The bill would require employers to justify the use of non-competition clauses regardless of the type of employment contract. It is currently being put out to public consultation online.
Analyses France: how Cegedim uses referrals to recruit and retain employees French healthcare and services group Cegedim (6,500 employees) uses the Basile solution to fill some of its recruitment gaps through referrals. It's a way of improving the success rate of new hires, but also of rewarding employees, by following a few rules.
Infos France: employees will be able to apply retroactively for paid leave for non-occupational illnesses In a consultative opinion issued on 13 March with a view to a government amendment, the Conseil d'État, France's highest administrative court, ruled that employees can benefit retroactively from French law being brought into line with European law on paid leave. However, it considers that the legislator can limit paid leave to four weeks a year when it is the result of non-occupational illnesses.
Infos EU: Parliament adopts new rules to facilitate legal labour immigration The European Parliament today adopted new rules on obtaining a single permit (combined work and residence permit) for third-country nationals. These amend the 2011 directive to make it easier for foreign workers to enter the European Union legally and enable businesses to find the skills they need.…
Infos UK: employers may share employees’ personal data in the event of a mental health emergency The Information Commissioner (ICO), the UK body responsible for data protection and information rights, has published new guidelines to give “employers greater certainty about sharing information about their workers in the event of a mental health emergency”.…
Infos EU: platform workers directive gets green light The Council of the EU has adopted the directive on platform workers, despite the lack of backing from France and Germany, marking the end of a long legislative soap opera. The text, which is yet to be definitively approved, could pave the way for massive wage reclassifications for millions of workers in false self-employment. It also sets the first standards for algorithmic management.
Infos United Kingdom: new rules to cut labour immigration take effect On 11 March, the government announced the entry into force of new regulations designed to “radically” reduce immigration. To this end,…
Infos Netherlands: bill adopted on equal opportunities in recruitment On 5 March, the Dutch parliament adopted a bill on equal opportunities in employment. The bill aims to combat discrimination in the recruitment and selection of candidates.…
Infos Ireland: bill adopted to help older people stay in work until the statutory retirement age On 6 March, the Irish cabinet approved an employment bill designed to prevent employers from setting a mandatory retirement age below 66, without the consent of employees. The aim is to enable those who wish to do so to continue working until the legal age at which they can draw their pension, and thus increase the employment rate among older people.
Infos Australia: government to pay superannuation contributions for workers on parental leave from July 2025 On 7 March, Australian finance minister Katy Gallagher announced that the centre-left Labour government will pay superannuation contributions – of 12% of workers’…
Infos Mexico: step towards 20 days’ paid paternity leave On 6 March, committees of the Mexican Senate approved a proposal to reform paternity leave, extending the allowance from five to 20 working days.…
Infos France: Carrefour launches plan to bolster ‘diversity of origin’ in its teams A survey conducted by Carrefour – in which 20,000 employees (out of an overall 85,000) took part voluntarily – reveals 14% of them were born abroad,…
Infos EU: Belgian Presidency presents last-ditch text on due diligence Following the refusal of France, Italy and Germany to vote on the proposed corporate sustainability due diligence directive, it was not put to the vote on 28 February.…
Infos Singapore: retirement age to rise from 63 to 64 in 2026 In a speech to parliament on 4 March, manpower minister Tan See Leng announced an increase in the retirement age in Singapore from 63 to 64,…
Analyses Isabelle Schömann (ETUC): “We continue to mobilise on due diligence” As the end of the European term of office approaches, several countries, including Germany and France, are blocking the adoption of the corporate sustainability due diligence directive. Speaking to mind RH, Isabelle Schömann, deputy general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, deplores this state of affairs, while announcing that mobilisation on the topic will continue. In her opinion, the failure of the process would be all the more regrettable as it would mark the disconnection of certain states and employer organisations, while the need to regulate is supported by many companies.
Infos Romania: ILO convention on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work ratified A bill ratifying ILO Convention No. 190/2019 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work was adopted by the Romanian parliament on 4 March.…