News brief

Romania: legislation adopted giving new rights for trade unions
On 23 November and following four years of discussion and debate, Romania’s chamber of Deputies adopted a legislative proposal on social dialogue. While the text, originated by the...
29 November 2022
Netherlands: the government is seeking to encourage older workers to work beyond retirement age
Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, Karien Van Gennip, has announced that she is seeking to change how companies view older employees in order to improve their situation on the labour...
29 November 2022
Germany: growing shortage of tech and science experts (study)
The renowned German Economic Institute (IW) in Cologne has published its annual study on the situation for so-called “MINT” – mathematics, information technology, natural...
Italy: energy company Enel and oil group Eni focus on safety at work
The National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (Inail) has just signed two memoranda of understanding on workplace safety with trade unions and Italy’s two energy giants...
28 November 2022
Great Britain: in the face of record inflation, Tesco is offering advance salary payments of up to 25%
Having already increased its basic pay across its shop network twice this year, making a total increase of 8%, UK supermarket giant Tesco is now offering its employees advance payments from their...
Argentina: new minimum salary increase
On 22 November, Argentina’s Minimum Wage Council, made up of social partners and government representatives, announced a new 20% increase in the national minimum salary. The increase will be...
24 November 2022
EU: the text imposing gender parity thresholds corporate boards of directors definitively adopted
Relaunched during France’s 6-month presidency of the Council of the European Union in H1 2022, the directive on a better gender balance among non-executive directors of listed companies has...
23 November 2022
Belgium: special temporary unemployment scheme introduced for energy-intensive companies
A new law in Belgium, published on 16 November in the country’s official gazette, introduces a temporary unemployment scheme for energy-intensive companies to help them cope with the current...
21 November 2022
United Kingdom: minimum wage to rise sharply in 2023
The UK’s National Living Wage (NLW) – for those aged 23 and over – will increase by 9.7% from April 2023, rising from £9.50 (€10.95) per hour to £10.42...
21 November 2022
Italy: benefits in kind to be tax-free up to €3,000 in 2022
The “Aiuti-Quater” decree, adopted by Italy’s Council of Ministers on 10 November to support companies and households amid rising inflation, significantly raises the upper limit...
18 November 2022
France: final vote on the law that treats job abandonment as job resignation
On 17 November France’s Senate house voted in favour of draft legislation on emergency measures relating to the functioning of the labour market and the law is thus definitively adopted...
17 November 2022
Italy: Crédit Agricole subsidiary in Italy extends optional paternity leave
On 26 October Crédit Agricole Italia together with the FABI, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions signed an agreement that provides for additional paternity leave. Thus in...
16 November 2022
Great Britain: KFC launches a programme to encourage the hiring of younger workers who are facing employment barriers
The KFC fast food chain is aiming that by 2030 a third of its new hires will comprise younger workers facing various employment barriers. To this end, the group, which employs 27,000 people in the...
United Kingdom: Boots offers staff discounted childcare at nurseries
Boots, the UK pharmacy chain and health and beauty retailer, has unveiled a new partnership with the country’s leading nursery group Busy Bees. Under the agreement announced on 1 November...
14 November 2022
Italy: Generali turns to smart working in a bid to lower energy consumption costs
In order to manage escalating energy prices, due in particular to events in Ukraine, Italian insurer Generali (13,000 employees in Italy) will be turning to remote working arrangements as a way of...
9 November 2022
Great Britain: 50 largest unlisted companies called on to publish their leadership gender data
As announced in February 2022, the FTSE Women Leaders Review has called on the largest unlisted companies to voluntarily publish figures on their female participation rates in senior executive and...
9 November 2022
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
EU: Omnibus Directive clears key milestone in European Parliament
On 13 October, the European Parliament’s position on the Omnibus Directive was approved by its Committee on Legal Affairs by 17 votes to six. Regarding due diligence rules, the report...
13 October 2025
2
mind RH analysis – Initial findings from CSRD social indicators
In 2025, for the first time, the universal registration documents of major European companies contain the sustainability reporting required by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive...
3
Netherlands: ING cites AI as it plans to cut around 950 jobs
Dutch bank ING has informed the employment agency UWV that it may cut around 950 jobs by 31 December 2026. In its notification on 20 October, the lender said the planned reductions stem partly...
30 October 2025
4
Italy: European pay transparency directive, a major step forward for businesses
Italy’s labour market continues to suffer from limited pay transparency and a persistent gender pay gap. The forthcoming implementation of the EU pay transparency directive — still awaiting...
5
Germany: EU pay transparency directive to force companies to ‘get tough’
Germany introduced a pay transparency law in 2017, meaning companies are already somewhat familiar with the issue. However, the broader scope and stricter requirements of the EU directive, the...
24 October 2025
6
Germany: ‘active retirement’ law adopted to encourage seniors to remain in the workforce
On 15 October, Germany’s cabinet approved draft legislation on ‘active retirement‘, which is expected to pass swiftly through Parliament. The bill would allow people who continue...