News brief

United Kingdom: national minimum wage to rise by 4% from 1 April
From April, the British national minimum wage will increase by 4.1%, following recommendations issued by the Low Pay Commission last November. The rate will rise from £12.21 to £12.71...
18 March 2026
France: Generali’s new disability agreement focuses on workplace adjustments
Generali France (9,300 employees) and trade unions have concluded an agreement to promote the employment of disabled workers for the 2026-2028 period. The text emphasises coordination between...
17 March 2026
Sweden: new law to facilitate phased return to work after sick leave
On 28 January, the Swedish Parliament adopted a law allowing employees on sick leave to test their capacity to return to work without losing their sickness benefits. The legislation, which came...
17 March 2026
Sweden: government delays transposition of Pay Transparency Directive
On 11 March, the Swedish government announced it is postponing the transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive. Having originally targeted an entry into force on 1 July 2026, it has conceded a...
16 March 2026
Germany: a wave of redundancy plans in the automotive sector
The latest financial results presented in early 2026 by major German car manufacturers show sharp declines. This collapse in profits has triggered the announcement or confirmation of massive job...
16 March 2026
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...
France: Yves Rocher convicted of breach of duty of vigilance for infringement of freedom of association
The specialised chamber of the Paris Judicial Court convicted Yves Rocher on 12 March for breaching its duty of vigilance. The group was sued by Turkish employees dismissed in 2018 by a subsidiary...
12 March 2026
Belgium: bill facilitating voluntary overtime submitted to Parliament
On 10 February, the government submitted a bill to Parliament aimed at increasing the number of voluntary overtime hours from 120 to 360. These may be performed without specific justification or...
12 March 2026
United Kingdom: launch of consultation on protection against detriment for industrial action
The British government launched a public consultation on 26 February regarding new protections for workers against "detriment" related to industrial action, scheduled to take effect in October...
12 March 2026
Denmark: government launches transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive
On 26 February, the Danish government submitted a draft bill to transpose the Pay Transparency Directive for consultation until 27 March. The bill sets an implementation date of 1 January 2027...
11 March 2026
Germany: a corporate group supports local political engagement via its “Democracy Charter”
Large corporations in the Hesse region, surrounding Frankfurt, are defending local democracy by enabling employees to volunteer in local public life through an initiative dubbed the "Democracy...
11 March 2026
United Kingdom: Marks & Spencer halts commitment to align pay with Real Living Wage
On 3 March, Marks & Spencer (M&S) announced a 6.4% pay rise for its 55,000 UK store staff, effective 1 April—nearly double the 3.4% inflation rate recorded in December. Hourly rates...
10 March 2026
France: government submits draft on pay transparency
On 6 March, the French government sent social partners a draft bill to transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive. The text provides details on the implementation timetable, corporate...
9 March 2026
Italy: Deliveroo and Glovo targeted by justice over courier working conditions
The Milan Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered two of Italy's leading food delivery platforms, Foodinho (Glovo) and Deliveroo, to be placed under judicial administration. According to...
9 March 2026
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...
United States: Coca-Cola subsidiary sued by the administration over women-only event
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on 18 February that it is launching federal proceedings against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast for “sex-based...
6 March 2026
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
British bank Barclays cuts 5,000 jobs to invest in AI
Banking group Barclays has announced the cutting of 5% of its global workforce by the end of the year. Beyond disappointing quarterly results, Barclays primarily intends to free up the funds...
2
Germany: non-EU recruitment remains marginal despite skilled immigration reform
The news. Nearly a year and a half after the entry into force of the “Skilled Immigration Development Act”, only 4% of businesses have recruited at least one employee directly from a...
3
EU: several social texts promised for 2027
The news. On 4 November, the European Commission presented its work programme for 2027. While the focus is once again on simplification, several social texts have been announced. The European...
4
EU: Commission presents strategy for vocational training
The news. On 5 November, the European Commission published its 2026-2030 strategy for vocational education and training. The text comes six years after a dedicated Council recommendation, but...