News brief

United Kingdom: companies soon to be required to provide single-sex toilets
On 6 May, the UK government announced a reform of building standards: all new non-domestic buildings will have to be equipped with separate toilets for men and women. Kemi Badenoch, Minister for...
16 May 2024
Romania: tripartite consultation to define mechanism for setting the appropriate minimum wage
On 14 May, labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu convened a meeting of employee and employer representatives to draw up a draft legislative act on the transposition of the European directive on...
15 May 2024
Netherlands: ‘staff retention in the event of a crisis’ bill put out to online consultation
On 14 May, the Dutch government launched an online consultation on a draft law on “staff retention in the event of a crisis”. The aim of the bill is to offer “greater security...
15 May 2024
Belgium: conditions for recognition as a company in difficulty altered
On 3 May, the Council of Ministers approved a draft royal decree which modifies the conditions for recognition as a company in difficulty or undergoing restructuring, which enables the...
Italy: social security contribution exemption for hiring young people and women in precarious situations
The ‘Cohesion’ decree, adopted by Italy’s Council of Ministers on 30 April and published in the official journal on 7 May, offers employers new incentives for recruiting...
France: Engie Green signs an agreement to encourage employee commitment on the environment
Engie Green, a subsidiary of the French energy group specialising in the development of renewable energy projects (600 employees), signed an agreement on 12 March dedicated to the ecological...
7 May 2024
Netherlands: Senate rejects equal opportunities employment bill 
On 26 April, the Dutch Senate rejected the bill on equal opportunities in recruitment and selection. The aim of the bill, which was largely adopted by the lower house on 5 March, was to reduce...
7 May 2024
Canada: foreign students will be able to work up to 24 hours a week
On 29 April, Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller presented new rules governing the employment of foreign students. From September, foreign students will be able to work up to 24 hours...
Czech Republic: retirement age to increase in 2025
On 30 April, the Czech government approved a reform that raises the retirement age beyond the current limit of 65. The reform must now be presented to Parliament to come into force in 2025...
2 May 2024
Poland: Whistleblowers Act soon to be adopted
A bill on the protection of whistleblowers was finally submitted to Parliament on 17 April 2024. It offers a broad range of people who can report irregularities in the operation of a company and...
29 April 2024
Belgium: people undergoing infertility treatment now protected from dismissal
A new law published in Belgium’s official journal on 18 April extends protection against dismissal for pregnant employees to people undergoing infertility treatment or medically assisted...
26 April 2024
United States: end of non-compete clauses
On 23 April, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a new final rule banning non-compete clauses nationwide. The FTC notes that non-compete clauses tend to have a negative impact...
24 April 2024
EU: Parliament adopts regulation banning products made with forced labour
On 23 April, the European Parliament broadly approved the regulation banning the import of products produced using forced labour. The text gives new investigative powers to the European...
23 April 2024
EU: road transport social partners make commitment on rights of third-country workers
With a joint declaration published on 19 April, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) have signed up to a series of commitments to...
22 April 2024
United States: historic victory for the UAW at Volkswagen in the South
On 19 April, the United Auto Workers (UAW) achieved a historic victory in the Southern United States by winning the membership of 5,500 employees at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee...
22 April 2024
Netherlands: Senate votes against minimum wage increase above regular indexation
In January, the government announced an additional statutory minimum wage increase of 1.2% with effect from 1 July 2024, in addition to the half-yearly indexation based on contractual wage trends...
19 April 2024
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: 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
2
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...
3
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
4
Germany: menopause issues finally gain corporate recognition
With 12 million women over 40 in the labour force, German companies and occupational health professionals are beginning to adopt support policies for those affected by menopause-related issues...
5
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...
6
Valérie Decaux (La Poste): “Our older workers policy is based on individualisation to move beyond age-related-stigmatisation”
La Poste Group (nearly 200,000 employees in France) unveiled its first senior employment agreement in late February. The text outlines measures for early retirement assistance, workplace...