News brief

Ireland: Vodafone introduces paid leave for caregivers
On 15 May, Vodafone Ireland, the UK telecommunications giant’s wholly owned Irish subsidiary announced its new ‘Caring for Vulnerable Others’ policy. The scheme will allow the...
17 May 2023
United States:  United Steelworkers union marks major breakthrough at the Blue Bird electric school bus plant in the Southern state of Georgia
Blue Bird, which builds electric school buses in Fort Valley, Georgia has become the first significant group (1,400 employees) to join the United Steelworkers union (USW). On 12 May workers in a...
17 May 2023
Brazil: setting criteria for access to the ‘special’ hazardous work pension
On 10 May Brazil’s Senate house unanimously approved a bill that establishes new rules to access a specific hazardous work related retirement pension, amending the originally instituted Law...
16 May 2023
Spain: outdoor work in particularly high temperatures banned
The Spanish government has announced a new rule to regulate outdoor work during periods of high temperatures, when the national meteorological agency Aemet issues an orange or red alert. Until...
15 May 2023
EU: Parliament proposes that introduction of AI systems at work should be subject to prior information-consultation
Yesterday members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs approved their report on proposed rules on artificial intelligence, presented by the...
12 May 2023
China: gig economy workers set to see rights bolstered
Chinese president Xi Jinping is “concerned” about the working conditions of those performing taskwork, according to the front page of People’s Daily, the main propaganda channel...
12 May 2023
Belgium: approval passed for profitable companies to pay staff a purchasing power bonus
Although workers will not receive any salary increases in 2023 and 2024 beyond those already linked to inflation, Belgium’s Council of Ministers has approved the possibility for profitable...
9 May 2023
EU: MEPs demand more ambitious push to protect workers against asbestos
On 26 April members of the European Parliament in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs unanimously adopted a report on the European Commission’s proposal for a revision of the...
5 May 2023
Italy: banking sector social partners agree to extend their collective agreement renewal date
On 26 April, and with procedures for the renewal of the banking sector national collective bargaining agreement (NCA) falling behind schedule, both the employers’ organisation (ABI –...
4 May 2023
EU: European Economic and Social Council calls for a new directive on preventing psychosocial risks at work
On 27 April, the European Economic and Social Council (EESC) adopted a resolution calling for a directive on the prevention of psychosocial risks at work. At the vanguard since July 2022, Spain...
2 May 2023
France: three agreements reached on working conditions for platform-based delivery drivers
Three months after a landmark agreement that set a minimum income for ride-hail drivers, three new agreements have been reached under the aegis of the newly formed Platform Employment Industrial...
26 April 2023
Mexico: online platform launched for businesses to report their labour regulations compliance
On 20 April, Mexico’s Ministry of Labour launched its voluntary labour verification programme (VELAVO). It will operate as an alternative mechanism to the labour inspectorate intervention...
25 April 2023
Germany: Helaba Bank hands staff a monthly sustainability bonus
German bank Helaba, the parent company of savings banks in the German state of Hesse, has announced that it will pay a monthly sustainability bonus (Nachhaltigkeitsprämie) to its 6,300...
24 April 2023
Germany: companies failing to meet required proportion of employees with disabilities to be taxed more heavily
The Bundestag has passed a law that aims to foster better integration of people with disabilities in the German labour market. Adopted by the house on Thursday 20 April, the new text abolishes the...
21 April 2023
Italy: national committee set up to combat undeclared work
On 6 April, Italy’s Ministry of Labour set up a national committee to prevent and combat undeclared work, a measure included in the country’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan...
21 April 2023
France: Carrefour proposing specific leave for endometriosis, miscarriage, and MAR
On 09 April, Alexandre Bompard, CEO of the multinational retailing group announced the introduction of paid leave for absences that are specifically related to women’s health. Employees...
20 April 2023
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
Import bans on forced labor products are multiplying
Under pressure from new US tariffs, many countries have presented texts in recent weeks to ban the import of products made with forced labor. A real breakthrough for workers' rights or a mere...
9 September 2026
2
Germany: a “simplification” proposal for the Corporate Governance Code
In early August, the Government Commission presented proposals to reform the Deutscher Corporate Governance Kodex (DCGK), Germany’s Corporate Governance Code. The proposals are primarily aimed at...
31 August 2026
3
France: EDF served formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations
The news. On 23 September, Greenpeace France announced that it had served EDF with a formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations due to the risks of harm...
24 September 2026
4
Slovakia: a bill to “clarify” personal data protection measures
The news. The Slovak government approved a bill on personal data protection on August 26, 2026. This text aims to clarify existing regulations regarding employees’ rights and...
7 September 2026