News brief

Belgium: minimum wage to rise to €2,000 on 1 April
The minimum wage in Belgium will be increased by €35.70 from 1 April, taking the level of pay from €1,994.18 to €2,029.88 gross per month. This increase was ratified during the...
27 March 2024
EU: employers air concerns to MEPs ahead of their review of the European Works Councils Directive
Business Europe and five European sectoral employer federations wrote to MEPs on 22 March, asking them to water down the proposed revision of the European Works Council Directive, on which they...
26 March 2024
Netherlands: bill seeks to provide more security for precarious workers
On 15 March, Dutch minister for social affairs and employment Karien Van Gennip sent a bill entitled “more security for precarious workers” to the Council of State for its opinion. The...
26 March 2024
Denmark: additional parental leave for parents of twins
On 19 March, the Danish parliament unanimously adopted a bill amending the legislation on parental leave. The bill grants biological and adoptive parents of twins (or more) 26 weeks of additional...
25 March 2024
EU: hospitality sector social partners sign joint declaration on skills shortages
In a joint text published on 19 March, the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) and HOTREC, the hotel sector employer federation, come together to call on the...
EU: launch of an action plan to tackle labour shortages
On 20 March, the Commission presented an action plan to combat the labour and skills shortages that have become more acute over the last ten years in the Member States. This was one of the main...
EU: Council adopts directive to protect whistleblowers
The draft “anti-SLAPP” directive (strategic lawsuits against public participation) put forward by the European Commission to combat ‘gagging’ lawsuits was adopted by the...
20 March 2024
ILO reaches first agreement on issue of living wages
On 13 March, the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization approved an agreement on the issue of living wages, reached during a meeting of experts, made up of representatives of...
19 March 2024
United Kingdom: government unveils measures to boost apprenticeships
On 18 March, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak unveiled measures designed to boost apprenticeships. To this end, the Conservative government has pledged to cover the full cost of training under-21s at...
Australia: paid parental leave extended to 26 weeks
On 18 March, the Federal Parliament passed the bill extending paid parental leave, which has been supported by the Labour government since 2022. In line with the government’s wishes, the...
18 March 2024
France: step forwards towards right to four weeks paid leave per year for non-occupational illnesses and accidents at work
Following a positive opinion from the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, the government presented on 15 March an amendment to its bill to adapt to European...
18 March 2024
EU: Parliament adopts new rules to facilitate legal labour immigration
The European Parliament today adopted new rules on obtaining a single permit (combined work and residence permit) for third-country nationals. These amend the 2011 directive to make it easier for...
UK: employers may share employees’ personal data in the event of a mental health emergency
The Information Commissioner (ICO), the UK body responsible for data protection and information rights, has published new guidelines to give “employers greater certainty about sharing...
13 March 2024
United Kingdom: new rules to cut labour immigration take effect
On 11 March, the government announced the entry into force of new regulations designed to “radically” reduce immigration. To this end, foreign care workers will no longer be able to...
Netherlands: bill adopted on equal opportunities in recruitment
On 5 March, the Dutch lower chamber adopted a bill on equal opportunities in employment. The bill aims to combat discrimination in the recruitment and selection of candidates. To this end...
11 March 2024
Australia: government to pay superannuation contributions for workers on parental leave from July 2025
On 7 March, Australian finance minister Katy Gallagher announced that the centre-left Labour government will pay superannuation contributions – of 12% of workers’ salary – for...
8 March 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
Catherine Chavanier (CDC Habitat): “Social dialogue on AI facilitates its deployment”
In February, CDC Habitat (10,500 employees) signed a two-year framework agreement governing social dialogue on AI. Catherine Chavanier, HR Director of the subsidiary of CDC (Caisse des dépôts et...
2
Greece: hospitality sector signs first collective agreement aligned with National Social Pact
The hospitality sector (125,000 employees), one of Greece’s largest industries after retail, signed a new two-year collective agreement on 17 March. The text, effective from 1 April 2026...
3
France: La Poste to launch negotiations for an AI agreement
Following the lead of firms such as Axa, Syensqo globally, and more recently CDC Habitat, La Poste group management will open negotiations on an AI regulation agreement during the first half of...
4
France: Club Med includes “multiculturalism” in its professional equality agreement
In December 2025, Club Med and the CFTC, Unsa, and FO trade unions signed an agreement on professional equality and working conditions. It introduces measures addressing AI, pay transparency, and...
23 March 2026
5
France: bioMérieux’s new disability agreement pivots towards mental health
The news. On 6 January 2026, bioMérieux—an in vitro diagnostics specialist employing 4,400 people in France—signed a new four-year agreement “relating to the employment...
6
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