News Flash
Editorial: Picking up the pieces
As thousands of disenchanted Americans swing the vote to make Donald Trump 45th President of the United States stock prices plunge around the world and outside the USA only President Putin is left smiling.
But what does this result
Turkey: Door closes on free movement
Although the Turkish government has introduced a new-style passport containing a chip holding an individual’s fingerprint and facial image it has not led to visa free travel into the EU’s Schengen area. Earlier this year agreement was reached with the
Editorial: Limits to employee monitoring
In most companies managers and colleagues often need to access the communications of fellow workers, especially when they are absent, or if they work part-time. But in doing so there is the ever present threat that they may be breaching
USA: Blacklisting law blocked
A US district court in Texas has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the national Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Regulations (FPSW).The so called “blacklisting rule” forces contractors bidding for substantial federal projects to disclose their previous labour law violations. It
China/USA: New entry obligation
Currently thousands of businesses in China and the USA depend on individual holders of 10-year B-1/B-2 multiple-entry visas to allow Chinese staff to enter the USA when required. From November 29th 2016 holders of such visas will have to
EU: Transient IPs are personal data
A long running battle about whether an individual’s dynamic IP address constitutes “personal data” and thus comes under Data Protection law has finally been resolved by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The Court came to the view that it
Editorial: Opening up the job market
Governments and their agencies around the world have long been the principal enemy of service sector growth. Examples abound, from the Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) clamping down on VoD companies such as Netflix for hosting films it does
Spain: Severance pay for fixed-term jobs
The right of temporary workers to receive severance payments has always been a cloudy issue. Now the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has cast a huge blow against the attractiveness of Spain as a location for job growth – and
Editorial: Two years on
Back in October 2014, an attempt by the UK before the European Court of Justice to challenge the EU’s cap on banker’s bonuses was big news. Then, one of the court’s principal advisors – Advocate General Jääskinen – declared, quite
Nepal: No work, no pay
The Industrial Enterprises Bill has been approved by Nepal’s parliament and is awaiting Presidential ratification. It contains a controversial provision which allows employers to withhold pay from employees for periods when they do not actually work. But even if it
Argentina: Youth scheme unlawful
A national Labour Appeals Court in Argentina has annulled an agreement between the Labour Ministry and the McDonalds fast food company. Under the terms of the arrangement McDonalds would hire 5,000 young people temporarily as interns, being paid 4,500 pesos
Canada: New GM fixed-bonus deal
Up until a week ago, General Motor’s vehicle assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario was earmarked for closure in 1919. However, a four-year wage deal ratified by members of the trade union Unifor has now secured $544 ($US 412 M) investment
USA: Hairstyle ban lawful
The United States Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit has ruled that employers may ban employees from wearing the dreadlocks hairstyle. The lawsuit had been backed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission because it related to a policy that
Australia: Default notice period
Up until now, in the state of South Australia, the absence of any reference to notice in an employment contract has led the courts to calculate an implied term of ‘reasonable notice’. This practice has, however, been rendered inappropriate (subject
Editorial: The European wage bubble
Across much of Europe over the past two years low levels of price inflation – or even contracting price levels (deflation) -have been running hand in hand with high levels of wage inflation. This illogical phenomenon is particularly evident in