Newsletter September, 2020

A Swiss referendum introduced paternity leave

As of 2021, a paternity leave of ten days to be taken within six months after the birth of a child will be introduced.
The Swiss citizens supported the introduction of this measure by 60.3%.

Qatar adopts new laws on mobility of migrant workers and the establishment of a minimum wage

The regulatory change abolishes the Kafala system and introduced a minimum wage that covers all workers including migrants
These reforms are in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, a governmental programme aimed at modernising the country’s labour market.

Croatia introduced a shortened workweek to support companies in their recovery phase
Social dialogue was at the foundation of this initiative
Business with over 10 employees significantly impacted by the Covid-19 crisis can receive financial support to compensate labour costs

In August 2020, Indonesian social partners from the garment and footwear industries signed a joint commitment “to protect health, business sustainability and welfare of workers in these sectors”.

On 2 September 2020, IOE members formally adopted the IOE Centenary Manifesto.
The document details IOE core values inspired by its establishment a centenary ago and will continue to guide its work in the next centenary.
It elaborates on how governments and businesses can work together to meet emerging and future transformations in the world of work.

The OECD Employment Protection Legislation is a publication to be commended.
Chapter 3 elaborates on how job protection matters for labour market and economic outcomes with a recently updated methodology and indicators.
One key outcome: open-ended contracts have loosened, while fixed term contracts have been evenly loosened and restricted across OECD member countries.
Chapter 3 outcomes are key for employers’ organisations and companies when advocating for policies in support of innovation, agility of the labour market, and productivity.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressed the business community during the IOE Centenary Summit.
The meeting focused on the role of social partners within the multilateral system, the importance of social dialogue and the private sector led economic growth recovery from the pandemic