24 February 2021
While getting inoculated against Covid-19 is not compulsory in Italy, an issue currently being debated among labor lawyers is whether or not employers can terminate the employment contract of someone (or not hire someone) who refuses the Covid-19 vaccination. On 17 February, the Italian Data Protection Agency (Garante Per La Protezione Dei Dati Personali- GPDP) set an important...
11 January 2021
The Spanish government and social partners have agreed to extend temporary employment regulation plans (ERTEs, equivalent of short time working) enacted due to the reduction in business volumes resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The mechanism should be extended until 31 May, in what would represent the fourth extension of the ERTE mechanism, set up in March 2020 (see article nº11729) to address the first lockdown, then extended and adjusted in May, June and September last year (see articles nº 11920,...
18 December 2020
Having extended its furlough scheme until 31 March, the UK government decided on 17 December to push its end date further back, this time to 30 April 2021. Dubbed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the short-time working measure sees the government contribute 80% of the salary of employees for hours not worked. Having previously been exempted from all payments when the Job Retention Scheme was launched in March (see article n°11771), companies must now cover pay for hours worked as well as national insurance...
30 November 2020
Published in the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) on 27 November, a decree from the country’s labour ministry establishes priority access to vocational training for individuals affected by furlough measures as part of the ERTE (Expediente de Regulación Temporal de Empleo) scheme. This applies both in cases of furlough in the event of force majeure, directly linked to Covid-19, and those for technical, organisational or production reasons.
10 November 2020
On 07 November Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis imposed a minimum three-week national lockdown in a bid to manage the sudden escalation in the number of new coronavirus cases. With the new restrictions, companies must put at least 50% of their staff on telework arrangements. Alongside this the state salary-support program is extended for companies undergoing reduced activity.
5 November 2020
On 01 November 1, Peru’s Executive extended the regulation it adopted in March (here), which initially established a provisional framework facilitating the use of telework to manage the health crisis until 31 July 2021. It took advantage of the extension to recognize the right of workers to disconnect from their computers and communication tools during periods of rest, leave, and suspension of the work relationship. According to arrangements as defined by the emergency decree 127-2020 (here), employers cannot...
2 November 2020
On Friday 29 October, during a meeting with the governors of Japan’s prefectures as well as the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and two other business lobbies, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the policy minister in charge of economic revitalisation and coordinating the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, urged representatives of these powerful organisations to take steps to extend the New Year holiday by one week – to 11 January inclusive. These measures are aimed at reducing population...
29 October 2020
Recommendations by the European Industry Federations to members of European Works Councils (EWCs), Works Councils in companies with a Societas Europaea status (SE-WCs), and Special Negotiating Bodies (SNBs) that were initially developed in March during the first wave of Covid-19 (c.f. article No.11804) were updated and published during the week 26 October in order to take account of the...
12 October 2020
With the UK government having opted for local coronavirus restrictions, which could involve the closure of restaurants, pubs and even businesses in the leisure sector, it plans to accompany this policy with an expanded Job Support Scheme. Beginning on 1 November and available for a period of 6 months, the support scheme will be aimed at companies whose premises are legally required to shut for some period due to local or national restrictions. In such instances, the government will support eligible businesses by...
1 October 2020
In response to the Covid-19 situation, and following consultations with the social partners, Portugal’s government will proceed to relax the rules surrounding short-time working. The changes initially concern the final quarter of 2020 however an extension into 2021 is already envisaged. Under the new system companies affected by a fall of at least 75% in turnover will be allowed to fully suspend their activity instead of a 60% reduction currently. In addition, companies will be eligible to access the new system...
