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Newsletter March, 2024

Chile: The Labour Directorate establishes the meaning and scope of Law No. 21.645 on the protection of maternity, paternity and family life

March, 2024
  • Law N°21.645, published on 29 December 2023, amended the Labour Code to strengthen maternity, paternity, and family life protections. It introduces a new regime for remote work and telecommuting under specific conditions.
  • On 26 January 2024, the National Director of Labour issued Dictamen N°67/1, providing legal interpretation and guidance on the law. 
Newsletter February, 2024

Singapore: “Businesses Need to Sustain Output for Four-day Workweek to Work” The National Employers Federation of Singapore (SNEF) recently analysed employers' perspectives towards the four-day working week and why they support it

February, 2024
  • The survey results were compiled in an interesting article published in the Singapore Labour Journal.
  • The report provides information on the opportunities and challenges of a four-day working week, highlighting potential trade-offs that could be adopted in different industries in Singapore.

Norway: decision on working and available time

February, 2024
  • On 2 November 2023, the Norwegian Supreme Court stated that offshore workers’ so-called “available time” - when the employee is available for the employer - pursuant to their CBA does not correspond to “working hours” under the Working Environment Act (“WEA”).
Newsletter November, 2023

USA: New York City updates Safe and Sick Time Regulations

November, 2023
  • On 15 September 2023, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection amended the rules governing the city's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA), which requires employers to provide safe and sick leave to eligible employees working in New York City in an amount depending on employer size.
  • The new rules provide essential clarifications and guidelines to comply with the Act, including how to determine the employer's size and count remote workers in light of increasing digitisation.
  • The amendments took effect on 15 October 2023.

 

 

Newsletter October, 2023

Costa Rica: a bill to work four days a week with three consecutive days off

October, 2023
  • On 15 August 2023, the Costa Rican Congress approved in the first discussion Bill 21.182 to reform the Labour Code, which proposes to change private sector working hours.
  • It was approved with 32 votes in favour and, if passed, would allow private sector employees to work a '4-3' schedule - 12 hours a day for four days followed by three days off.
Newsletter June, 2023

China: Decision on the use of WeChat and overtime

June, 2023
  • A Beijing court ruling ordered an employer to compensate an employee for sending WeChat work messages after working hours.
  • This recent lawsuit, related to working overtime through the use of WeChat, opened a great discussion in China. 
  • It is an important reminder that to establish a system of non-fixed working hours for an employee, the local labour administration requires written authorization.
Newsletter March, 2023

South Africa: New minimum wage and the earnings threshold

March, 2023
  • The Minister of Employment and Labour, effective from 1 March 2023, increased the minimum earnings threshold of ZAR 241110.59 per annum and the national minimum wage of ZAR 25.42 per hour worked. 
  • They increased, respectively, by 7.6 and 9.6 per cent. 

Sodexo launched a new benefits programme for all its employees

March, 2023
  • Sodexo is launching a new employee benefits programme, Vita by Sodexo, to retain talent and avoid resignations. 
  • It provides all its eligible employees across the globe with a minimum benefits package of Parental and Care Leave, Life Insurance Benefits, and an Assistance phone line.
  • The programme will apply to Sodexo employees in the 53 countries where the company operates, although the platform providing the benefits will be introduced gradually.

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