All articles

Ireland: a landmark national strategy to develop remote work that intends to fast track the employee’s right to request remote work and the right to disconnect
On 15 January 2020, Ireland’s government published its first national remote work strategy (here), the goal of which is to ensure home and remote work becomes the norm after the pandemic...
Switzerland: entry into force of a somewhat vague telework obligation
According to an ordinance promulgated by Switzerland’s Federal Council on 13 January, telework is mandatory throughout Switzerland from 18 January 2021 to 28 February 2021. The measure that...
19 January 2021
Italy: generational renewal efforts more intense than expected at Intesa Sanpaolo, which announces 1,000 additional young hires
On 14 January 2021, Intesa Sanpaolo, which is currently integrating its recent takeover target, UBI Banca, announced it will hire 3,500 young people by the first half of 2024, i.e. 1,000 more than...
Solvay: global agreement on minimum levels of protection revised to align paternity and co-parent leave with maternity leave
On 15 December 2020, the management of the Belgian chemicals firm Solvay and its global staff representation body, the Solvay Global Forum (see article n°10248), revised their first global...
18 January 2021
United Kingdom: trade unions boosted by the pandemic (study)
Amid a technological boom, positive results in negotiations with the government and an upsurge in membership, UK trade unions have enjoyed an unprecedented revival during this health crisis...
18 January 2021
United States: unionisation campaign at Amazon in Alabama
Amazon employees at one of the e-commerce giant’s fulfilment centres – in Birmingham, Alabama – are to vote on whether they want to join a trade union. The process will be...
Portugal: new lockdown decreed and remote work imposed
Following a meeting of Portugal’s Council of Ministers on 13 January, a new lockdown came into force on 15 January. The measure is to remain in place for a period of one month, but the duration...
15 January 2021
Austria: social partners announce “general collective agreement” to support new national testing strategy
On 9 January, following consultation with the heads of the Länder and social partners, the Austrian government announced the introduction of a new testing strategy that, in parallel with the...
15 January 2021
Great Britain: the government makes an earnest call on companies to identify domestic violence and improve support for victims
During the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown in 2020 calls for domestic abuse services shot up 80%. In light of this and the ongoing trend in domestic abuse the government wrote an open letter to...
14 January 2021
Great Britain: Morrisons is set to become the first UK supermarket to pay its employees at least £10 (€11.20) per hour
This new basic hourly rate of £10 per hour (€11.22 E) was negotiated as part of a wage agreement by the retail trade union, Usdaw, which is now asking its members to formally accept...
EU-China comprehensive agreement on investment: more promises than constraints
The conclusion-in-principle that was settled at the end of December ahead of ratification of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CIA) has come after seven years of tough protracted...
13 January 2021
South Africa: a draft code of practices to combat harassment and violence in the workplace
On 11 January 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to ratify ILO Convention No.190 (Harassment and Violence in the Workplace). South Africa however already has legislation that the government...
13 January 2021
Vietnam: promises, some kept and some less so of the new revised Labor Code
On 30 December 2020, the International Labour Organization (ILO) welcomed the entry into force, as of 01 January 2021, of Vietnam’s revised Labour Code that was adopted in 2019. For Chang-Hee Lee...
12 January 2021
EU: European Commission launches an consultation on allowing collective bargaining for self-employed workers
Faced with legal uncertainties resulting from European treaties that can see online platforms employees being considered as companies, and therefore any potential collective agreements as illegal...
12 January 2021
Germany: automobile firms prepare to administer vaccines
The stricter lockdown measures that came into force in Germany on 11 January 2021 have little effect on companies. This has led to a heated debate on the issue of increased teleworking measures...
11 January 2021
United States: President-elect Joe Biden has chosen his future Secretary of Labor
Martin Walsh, the mayor of Boston and former union leader, is expected to become the US Secretary of Labor in the first administration of President-elect Joe Biden. If his appointment is approved...
11 January 2021
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Import bans on forced labor products are multiplying
Under pressure from new US tariffs, many countries have presented texts in recent weeks to ban the import of products made with forced labor. A real breakthrough for workers' rights or a mere...
9 September 2026
2
Germany: a “simplification” proposal for the Corporate Governance Code
In early August, the Government Commission presented proposals to reform the Deutscher Corporate Governance Kodex (DCGK), Germany’s Corporate Governance Code. The proposals are primarily aimed at...
31 August 2026
3
France: EDF served formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations
The news. On 23 September, Greenpeace France announced that it had served EDF with a formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations due to the risks of harm...
24 September 2026
4
Slovakia: a bill to “clarify” personal data protection measures
The news. The Slovak government approved a bill on personal data protection on August 26, 2026. This text aims to clarify existing regulations regarding employees’ rights and...
7 September 2026