All articles

Hungary : government adopted programmes to boost employment
Government approved Start Plus and Start Extra, two programmes to offer preferential terms for employing parents returning to work from maternity or childcare leave, and to unemployed or long-term...
Great Britain: Parliament passes law banning smoking in all workplaces
The British trade-union confederation (TUC) welcomed yesterday’ adoption at the Parliament of the bill that prohibits smoking in all closed public spaces and workplaces, thus including pubs and...
Directive on protection of workers from optical radiations is adopted
The European Parliament adopted, February 14, 2006, the draft Directive on minimal safety and health requirements for workers exposed to physical agents (optical radiations). (Réf. 06139)
Germany: wage negotiations postponed in Bade-Wurtemberg’s metal industry
Started on February 14, 2006 in Böblingen, wage negotiations in Bade-Wurtemberg’s metal industry, which employs nearly 800 000 people, were postponed to March 17 after only three hours of...
Consultation of the European social partners on social inclusion
The European Commission, launched, last February 8, a consultation on "an action at the EU level to promote the active inclusion of the people being the most distant from the labour market". (Réf...
Estonia : employers can not end an employment relationship for age related reasons anymore
On 8 February 2006 the parlament passed an Act that repeals norms which were considered sharply inconsistent with the principle of equality and the aims of employment policy. (Ref. 06133)
Lithuania: gender-based discrimination in labour market has increased
Almost two thirds of the population claims that gender equality in Lithuania's labour market doesn't exist and that women's discrimination has recently increased. (Ref. 06132)
13 February 2006
Slovakia: government breaks up, causing early elections in June
A disagreement on a law involving religion and work caused the centre-right coalition to break up. The Prime Minister has decided to organize early elections, which are likely to be won by the...
13 February 2006
Czech Republic: a law to protect employees from employer’s insolvency.
Employees'wage claims will be dealt with sooner and faster. Employers will have more obligations. (Ref. 06144)
Germany: Volkswagen could return to the 35 hours work-week
According to the German press of this weekend (Focus, Spiegel and Bildzeitung),Volkswagen's management intends to negotiate with its work's council a return to the 35 hours work-week (up from 28,8...
Great-Britain : consultation on the Sunday trading restrictions
The Department of Trade and Industry l wants to make the Sunday trading restrictions more flexible. (Ref. 06131)
Germany: press review -February 6 to 10, 2006
Last week was marked by the beginning of wage negotiations in the metal industry which will for sure be difficult. IG Metall is demanding a 5% rise in wages. This same week, the Minister for...
Finland : end of the labour market restrictrions to workers from enlargement Member States
Finlande will remove the labour market restrictions to the workers coming from enlargment Member States from 1 May, 2006 on. The Finnish government is preparing a draft law which aims at...
The provisions of the optional framework for transnational negotiation should be specified soon
The social Diary for 2005-2010 announced an optional framework for transnational agreements. The European Commission could release, between now and the end of February, a legal study which...
Germany: strike in public sector extended once again
The action which began on Monday February 6 in Bade Württemberg, was extended as from Monday, February 13 in Bavaria, Hamburg, Lower-Saxony, Rhineland north Westphalia and Rhineland Westphalia...
Six Member States launch an initiative for an “European Pact for gender equality”
Czech Republic, France, Denmark, Spain, Finland and Sweden proposed in a letter to Austrian Chancellor Schüssel that the EU implement a gender-equality pact. (Ref. 06124)
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
France: LinkedIn reveals most sought-after HR skills
LinkedIn is revealing the most sought-after HR skills in 2026 in a study to be published on 24 February, which mind RH is previewing. Internal communication, training planning, occupational health...
2
Netherlands: new government seeks to “control” social costs
In his government policy statement to Parliament on 25 February, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced several measures designed to "control" social costs. Notably, he proposed raising the...
3
Germany: accelerated professional integration in sight for asylum seekers
Germany’s interior minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced plans to accelerate the professional integration of asylum seekers in Germany. “The best integration is the one that starts...
4
Spain: a bill to regulate internships
On 3 March, the Council of Ministers approved the bill on the “Status for persons undergoing non-professional practical training in companies”. The text limits the number of interns a company can...
5
EU: co-legislators aim to pivot European Globalisation Adjustment Fund towards restructuring anticipation
On 25 February, the Council of the EU and the Parliament reached an agreement on the Commission’s proposed regulation to expand the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). Under the...
6
Block to slash workforce by nearly half
The news. In his latest shareholder letter, Jack Dorsey, CEO of payment service provider Block (formerly Square), announced plans to slash the company’s workforce “by nearly half, from...