Managing people across national borders

We are a practical problem-solving service, geared to the needs of  multinational HR departments.

Many day-to-day “people issues” do not merit a project, or justify calling in an employment lawyer. This is often because they must be resolved quickly and before more substantial problems arise.  One FedEE Member put it this way.

“I do not have the time to brief outsiders and start worrying about professional fees before I can get a job done. I just need someone I can trust who will give me an honest second opinion and help me sort things out so that I can move onto other things. My company cannot carry all the expertise about international HR laws and practices it needs in-house – so the next best thing is FedEE. You have no equal and those who do not know about you do not know what they are missing.”

〠 NEW EU-UK AGREEMENT: FedEE knew the outcome of the Brexit vote in 2016 – three months before it happened. Now we can see beyond uninformed comment to how the new two-edged sword can cut.

〠 BREXIT NOW: Without really trying,  UKG has struck a deal that puts it in control of the single EU market. But will it take advantage of its new power over the EU?

〠 POST-PANDEMIC HR WORLD:  So what are the key things you need to think about now? What will be the barriers faced and what kind of world will it be like? Start your journey here.

〠 POSTING WORKERS: This revised EU Directive has huge implications for multinational employers. FedEE has the most detailed guide available on how to comply with it.

 

International HR Answers in Seconds

FedEE is designed to provide a “right hand” professional support service to those in multinational HR departments.

We focus on key developments so you can get on with your core day-to-day activities. You do not need a legal database containing 1000s of new laws and court cases to read every day, nor do you have the time to wait for a call-back from a law firm –  but you do need to know if your company faces a new employer obligation in a particular country, if a key deadline is coming up on the radar, or how to resolve a difficult employee problem in real-time.

FedEE also produces news reports you would never receive from any other source. This is partly because we monitor changes in over 30 languages. We also have a tiered support system so that if you need to know more, you may go to our online knowledgebase, or simply call our multinational helpline. 85% of helpline enquiries are resolved within two hours, after just one direct call to an Advisor. Our service is also multi-user – so several colleagues may access it in their own right. Few lawyers have hands on HR experience and so their guidance is often rigid, obscure and off the mark. We go beyond the law and aim at finding practical, management solutions that stick and make good economic sense.

You could probably secure a near alternative to FedEE by hiring a talented HR professional with years of working in many jurisdictions and industry sectors, then by arming them with numerous costly online legal database subscriptions – or you could simply sign up to FedEE – at 2-3% the cost. That is perhaps why many HR departments around the World have relied on FedEE for over two decades.

FEDEE ALERTS

☞ The United States Attorney General has ordered all US attorney offices to investigate and, if necessary, prosecute any misuse of government funding provided to alleviate the impact of the health crisis on companies. 

☞ UK employers should take note of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 – as it has been the principal way that those infected by HIV/AIDS have sought damages. Only COVID-19 is much easier to prosecute as it does not involve consent.

☞ Pawa-hara laws just coming into effect in Japan are going to make life very difficult for conventional employers.

☞ Do you know the occupational groups given special entry requirements this year under different country points systems? 

☞ Why should employers in Azerbaijan be particularly concerned about making employees who own land redundant?

☞ What is the position of employees stranded in countries – whose visas have expired?

☞ What are the HR data retention periods around the World?

☞ May an employer force an employee to take annual leave? 

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The FedEE Story

FedEE was founded in June 1988 at a meeting of HR Directors at BP PLC’s Head Office in London. It was supported initially by the European Commission

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FedEE Services

FedEE offers a range of “must have” services to the individual Multinational employer.

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Persolicy

FedEE’s International HR Policy Updating Service, tackling those neglected handbooks.

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Aftermath

FedEE’s frightening analysis concerning prospects for a post-pandemic World.

 

Maintaining company pay freedom

Unless EU employers do something soon they will all be locked into collective bargaining and have to face up to unions that have been given a huge new lease of life by the European Commission. This is not “crying wolf”, but a reality under current EU proposals.

For the last 20 years FedEE has been seeking to make the European Union institutions stick to Article 153 (5) of their own Treaty and not meddle in pay. They have no powers to do so – but MEPS and Officials keep knowingly ignoring their own Treaty obligations.

Now the Commission wants to impose a minimum wage system across EU Member States which is entirely determined by collective bargaining. Once around the table, however, unions will not stop there – and will want to spread their scope for negotiation to all levels in a company. This is in spite of unionization progressively declining across the EU and being as low as 8% in some EU countries. Moreover, sectoral and national CBAs are wage cartels and should be treated as such.

Although the minimum wage is a critical safeguard, the petty politics of collective bargaining is not the way to achieve it and the European Union has no legitimate role to play in this field. 

HOW THINGS STAND

  • Not all EU States – such as Austria, Finland and Italy – currently operate a national minimum wage.
  • Article 153 (5) of the EU Treaty excludes any powers in respect to pay from the scope of the European Union.
  • The European Commission has long wanted to take greater control of the wage and salary market.
  • The Commission has ignored in the past the EU Treaty by introducing pay-related elements in Directives. Only FedEE has opposed them.
  • The Commision began this year to consult “social partners” about an EU Minimum Wage Directive. 
  • The Commission’s current proposals are to ensure that collective bargaining is central to the new wage system. 
  • To sidestep the Treaty problem (and FedEE) the Commission wants to draw up an agreement on Article 155. This will do nothing to remove Article 153 (5).
  • If allowed to go ahead, the Commission’s  proposal will impose collective bargaining on employers in each Member State.
  • Spain is also imposing new requirements on employers under their equal pay legislation. This means that employers will be forced into consultation with trade unions like the militant CCOO union.
  • If your company opposes these moves – join FedEE.
 

Services Tailored for You

Your Employment Law Questions Answered – Practically and Fast

If a quick check of the FedEE Knowledgebase does not come up with all the details you are looking for then the FedEE legal helpline is just a phone call, or email message, away. We seek to answer all email questions raised within four working hours. In fact, over 90% of telephone enquiries about our core 35 countries are resolved during a 15-minute call.

Updating Your HR Policies to Comply with Statutes and Rulings

The most constant lament that arises in our periodic member surveys concerns the updating of HR policies. If a policy is out of date, and thus at variance with the law, or phrased in an ambiguous way a company can find itself being challenged by employees with whom they are in dispute, an ex-employee or a factory inspector. All policies should therefore ideally be reviewed on an annual basis. FedEE offers a policy review service called “Persolicy” that could be just for one policy in a single jurisdiction, a complete handbook or for multiple countries. This service is at a fraction of the cost charged by a conventional law firm.

Let FII-Legal provide you with the employment law assistance you need during the current crisis

FII-Legal is an independent spin off from the Federation and can offer expert advice, information and support at a fraction the cost – and many times the speed – you would be charged by an old-style legal firm. Our expertise is also based on a depth of international HR experience and is led by a former Advisor to The European Commission and the ICO who also has a track record in mining, electronics and engineering.  We cover over 120+ country jurisdictions, plus federal laws, from a single international centre. FII-Legal is also open to non-members of the Federation. So call us today on (+1) 857 576 8452 or email enquiries@fedeeglobal.com.

Ask FII-Global’s legal research team to undertake an investigation into a difficult legal challenge, or brief you on a particular jurisdiction

We have undertaken numerous customised research exercises for major companies to assess the best jurisdiction and labour market for expansion into Eastern Europe, restructure the business as a Societas Europea (SE), or set out all the steps necessary for a major transfer of undertakings. We specialise in M&A HR legal strategy – and in 2019 we were a key player in one of the largest mergers in recent times.

Becoming a multinational for the first time? Let FedEE help reduce the delays and risks

During the last ten years the average size of multinationals has fallen from over 5000 employees to just 700 employees and many start to become multinational – especially in the service sector – when they have fewer than 100 employees.

Membership of FedEE will be an invaluable aid to successful growth in other countries. Not only can we show you how to avoid the legal pitfalls, but can put you in touch with local service providers and provide statistics to help you assess things like the size and nature of local labour markets.

We can also help you turn your HR services around – both to deal with global emergencies, such as those created by the coronavirus pandemic, but also put in place an HR Recovery Plan. We estimate the recovery in advanced economies outside China will begin by late July 2020. It may also, ironically, remove the threat of a recession by the end of 2020 – as demand bounces back with a new dynamic.

Global News

Advanced Diploma in Multjurisdictional Employment Law
 

The FedEE Academy

Now there is an opportunity for HR professionals in multinational organisations to obtain a legal qualification that prepares them for a role as the departmental expert in employment law. FedEE’s Advanced Diploma in Multijurisdictional Employment Law (Adv Dip MELL) is a one-year part-time programme offered through our Academy and undertaken primarily through distance learning.

If you are a University graduate with at least three years relevant HR experience you may join the programme at any time. You do not have to possess a first degree in law and the programme will begin by preparing you to understand legal concepts and basic principles of law.

The programme focuses on ten principal jurisdictions – China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, UAE, UK and the USA. However, participants may also choose other jurisdictions for their personal research. There are a total of 24 modules to complete (two per month) and, as a graduate, you will possess greater knowledge of trans-border legal requirements than most conventional legal professionals.

The course is designed to fit in with a busy work schedule and if not completed within the year it may be extended for a further twelve months. The programme not only ends with a valuable qualification, but you will also be able to use the job title “HR Counsel”® 

Please also note that this programme is currently being updated and extended and will be relaunched in the Autumn with several modules reflecting recent changes in HR perspectives – such a greater interest in distant working and contingency planning and management.

For further information, please download the programme brochure and, if you wish, speak to a qualified Barrister here at FedEE.  Click here and sign up today to participate in the Programme. 

For further details, please contact the Programme Director on Academy@fedee.com.

Publications and press reports from FedEE correspondents
 

Press Releases and Newswires

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White papers

FedEE Member companies gain access to a wealth of information and guidance.

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Press Releases

Examples of past press releases distributed to media, newspapers and agencies. 

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Past Newswires

Examples of our fortnightly newswires sent to all FedEE Member organizations.

Travel Alerts

  • CANADA: New pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirements for all air travellers flying into the country can be found here. For COVID-19 public health measures and restrictions in Ontario, please view here.

    USA: Starting 26th January 2021, airline passengers departing from any foreign country to the United States must provide a negative COVID test.

    NEW ZEALAND: With effect from 25th January 2021, pre-departure testing will be extended to all travellers except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific islands.

    MOROCCO: The government has temporarily suspended travel from and to Australia, Brazil, Ireland, and New Zealand due to new COVID-19 variant.

    JAPAN: Expect delayed or suspended train services on the Shinkansen and many conventional lines due to bad weather.

    AUSTRALIA: Australian citizens and permanent residents may not leave the country due to COVID-19 restrictions, unless they have an exemption issued from the Department of Home Affairs.

    CANADA: Air Canada is suspending some passenger services in Newfoundland and Labrador routes from 23rd January 2021.

    CANADA/MEXICO/USA: The land borders between the United States, Canada and Mexico will remain closed to nonessential travel until at least 21st February 2021.

    CHINA: All public transport (including taxis) in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, has been temporarily suspended by the government in an effort to stamp out a new cluster of coronavirus infections.

    CYPRUS: A new lockdown has been introduced and will last until the end of January 2021. Individuals will only be permitted to go out twice each day with prior approval required. Employees going to and coming back from work should present Form A signed by their employer. People over 65 may use Form B for their movements by exception. Further information on two methods to obtain authorisation for movement by exception can be found here. For answers to frequently asked questions on the latest measures, please click here. 

    EGYPT: Expect water outages in the second district of Tanta, Gharbia Governorate, from 0800-1500 daily through 20th January 2021 due to routine maintenance work.

    INDIA: Private carrier IndiGo will resume flights between Kolkata (capital of West Bengal state) and Shillong (capital of the state of Meghalaya) from 1st February 2021.

    IRISH PUBLIC: All passengers arriving into Ireland (except those arriving from Northern Ireland) must provide proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 taken within a 72-hour window prior to their arrival.

    JAPAN: East Japan Railway will suspend and reschedule dozens of trains until at least 7th February 2021 because of COVID-19.

    PORTUGAL: A new lockdown has come into force from Friday, 15th January 2021 - with exceptions so that the Presidential election may go ahead on 24th January 2021. Remote working will be compulsory wherever possible. To ensure compliance with new measures, fines for breaking the rules will double.

    SAUDI ARABIA: All restrictions on movement in and out of the country are currently scheduled to be removed from 31st March 2020.

    UNITED KINGDOM: Legislation on England’s new COVID lockdown restrictions will last until 31st March 2021. There are also restrictions in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Full details on what someone can and cannot do are available here.

    USA: Southwest Airlines is opening up a daily nonstop route from Charleston to Denver beginning on 11th March 2021. Additionally, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has announced 13 metro station closures, bus detours in the days surrounding the 20th January 2021 inauguration. Meanwhile, the current statewide COVID-19 mitigation measures in Nevada have been extended for another 30 days. Lastly, all travelers coming to New York State (NYS) from areas beyond the border states (NJ, CT, PA, MA, VT) must fill out a Traveler Health Form.

    ISRAEL/THE SEYCHELLES: Following new quarantine requirements that are implementing in Israel for all returning travellers, until 22nd January 2021, Air Seychelles will scale down its services to operate only two flights per week between Israel and the Seychelles.

    DENMARK: The current “hard lockdown” has been extended for two weeks, until 17th January 2021, to limit the spread of COVID-19.

    PHILIPPINES: Travelers from 20 countries and territories (including the UK) will be banned from entering the country in light of the new COVID-19 variant. These include Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong (China), Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, South Korea, South Africa, Canada and Spain.

    ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES: There are geological reports of activity within the La Soufriere volcano. This could herald a huge future eruption.

    AUSTRIA: The most up to date information on entry regulations for Austria can be accessed at the official travel portal. An entry and transit declaration is required.

    BELGIUM: Visitors could check the latest information on travel advice (with particular reference to the different zones corresponding to the local COVID-19 situation) through the website here before entering the country.

    CANADA: To find out who may travel to Canada and public health measures for travellers to the country, please click on the official website here.

    CZECH REPUBLIC: Please note that the certificate and confirmation form for entry into the country are available here.

    ESTONIA: Information on countries and restriction on freedom of movement requirements for passengers is available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

    EUROPEAN UNION: Before planning a trip, visitors may wish to consult the European Union’s website where they may find country-specific information relating to border controls, travel restrictions, health and public safety measures - as well as other practical information. To check what travel documents are necessary when crossing the border into another EU country, please view here. What’s more, road safety and traffic rules differ within the EU. To find out what the various country-specific rules are, please click here. For information on rules of driving a company car abroad, please check here.

    FINLAND: Entry restrictions and health measures may be viewed here. For instructions issued by the Finnish border guard service, please check here.

    FRANCE: The government has provided some useful advice on its website for foreign nationals wishing to enter the country (or already in the country).

    FRENCH POLYNESIA: The ETIS is a mandatory health registration form for any traveler arriving to French Polynesia by air. Visitors must submit a valid copy within three days of their flight, and each time they enter Polynesian territory.

    GERMANY: Information on entry restrictions and quarantine regulations can be accessed here.

    GLOBAL: Global port restrictions may be viewed here.

    GREECE: All people (except children under 10 years old) traveling to Greece from foreign countries will be required to have a negative molecular test result (PCR) for COVID-19, performed within 72 hours before their arrival. This includes air and land arrivals.

    HUNGARY: Borders are generally closed. Please note that not every BCP is open for transit traffic. If possible, please use the transit routes.

    ICELAND: All passengers traveling to the country are required to fill out a pre-registration form 72 hours before their arrival. For travel restrictions, please check here.

    IRISH REPUBLIC: To view travel advice for over 200 countries from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), please check here. Visitors are reminded to fill out a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form if they arrive in Ireland from another country.

    LATVIA: All people must fill in an electronic form no earlier than 48 hour before crossing the border, they will then receive a QR code to show to customs.

    LITHUANIA: Before boarding a plane, ferry, bus, or train to travel to this country, a form must be completed on the website of the National Public Health Centre, and present the confirmation received, the QR code, at the time of boarding. To find out who is allowed to enter the country during emergency situation due to COVID-19, please check here.

    MALTA: Before travelling to Malta, it is necessary to complete the Public Health Travel Declaration Form and the Passenger Locator Form.

    NETHERLANDS: The current strict lockdown measures will remain in place until at least Tuesday, 19th January 2021.

    NEW ZEALAND: The border is currently closed to almost all travelers. To find out who may still enter the country, please click here.

    NORWAY: The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has provided a map on its website showing obligations to go into quarantine that apply for travellers arriving in Norway.

    ROMANIA: A map indicating which border crossing points are open can be accessed here.

    SPAIN: The official website offers tourists and business travelers information on how to protect people’s health and safety during their trip.

    UNITED KINGDOM: People arriving into the UK from Greece - apart from those travelling directly from Corfu, Crete, Rhodes, Zakynthos and Kos - will need to self-isolate for 2 weeks as the country is removed from the travel corridor list. Passengers arriving into the UK from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Turks and Caicos islands, Laos, Iceland, Chile, Cambodia and Bahrain will no longer need to self-isolate so long as they haven’t been in, or transited through, any other non-exempt countries in the 14 days preceding their arrival. Additionally, all travellers, including those from exempt destinations, will still be required to show a complete passenger locator form on arrival into the UK, unless they fall into a small group of exempt travellers.

    UAE: The Darb Toll Gate System will be activated from 2nd January 2021, at four gates located on the bridges leading to Abu Dhabi city. Vehicles owners are reminded to set up and activate their accounts online through the traffic tollgate system website or via the "Darb" mobile Application, and also ensure there is a sufficient balance on their accounts when crossing the toll gates. Meanwhile, the Rak Al Khaimah Police have decided to extend the current 50% discount on traffic fines until 23rd December 2020. Finally, people whose visas expired before 1st March have until 31st December 2020 to take advantage of the exemption from all fines and other administrative restrictions.

    UKRAINE: The quarantine and emergency order has been extended until 28th February 2021.

    SWITZERLAND/ITALY: All cross-border rail services between Switzerland and Italy will be suspended temporarily due to a shortage of staff to perform the required Coronavirus safety checks.

    BVI: All incoming travelers will have to provide a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test certificate within five days prior to arrival from low-risk countries and within three days from medium and high-risk countries. Incoming travelers will also be required to test on arrival.

    OMAN: A transit fee of RO3 (US$7.80) will be payable starting from 1st January 2021.

    ETHIOPIA: A state of civil war exists across much of the country. Travel to the country is not recommended and existing staff may need to be evacuated.

    GUATEMALA: The Pacaya Volcano has been showing increased activity recently. Activity is primarily focused on the southwest side of the volcano and includes avalanches, increased ash eruptions, and explosions.

    ITALY: The central region of Abruzzo has gone into lockdown after being classed as one of Italy’s red zones of high COVID-19 contagion risk.

    JAPAN: AirAsia Japan has filed for bankruptcy proceedings in the Tokyo District Court. However, flights between Japan and destinations such as Bangkok will continue to be operated by other AirAsia carriers.

    NEW ZEALAND: The wearing of face masks is now mandatory on Auckland public transport, and on all domestic flights – with few exceptions such as school buses, or people with asthma. Non-compliance may result in a maximum term of imprisonment of six months, or a fine of up to $4,000 (US$2,768).

    NORWAY: Foreign nationals who cannot present certificate of a negative COVID-19 test can be refused entry, although there are few exceptions, such as foreign nations who are in transit.

    THAILAND: Anti-government protests outside the country's parliament in Bangkok have recently turned violent. Avoid all street gatherings as a precaution and anticipate further associated demonstrations in areas of the capital during the near term.

FedEE makes it all fit together
 

Join FedEE Today

Many of the world’s largest multinational companies already belong to The Federation of International Employers (FedEE®). We have a Worldwide Membership – with particular concentrations in North America, Western Europe, India and Japan. We were founded in 1988 and are regularly voted by our Members as an organisation they would recommend to other multinationals.

If your company has over 150 employees in two or more countries, has its own in-house HR department, and has been operating for two or more years then you really cannot afford to operate without being part of the Federation. The approval process takes less than a day and for immediate access to our services we have an online credit card payment facility. Membership costs as little as €998.00 a year. Please check here to view the table of our membership services. Sign up now.

Why not take a short tour of our knowledge-base before joining FedEE® to see the nature and extent of the employment law, HR data and support that we offer? Please contact our Membership Secretary on membershipservices@fedee.com to arrange for a one-to-one webinar for you and your colleagues, arranged without obligation and entirely at your own convenience.

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Contact Us

Address, email, telephone numbers and on line payments so you can get in touch from anywhere around the world.

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Senior Management Team

Introducing our key staff and Board Members.

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Training and Events

The World’s advanced professional transnational law training course.

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Clear Thinking

Most people are not taught to think and few realize that clear thinking originates in perceptions and personal identity.