News Flash

International Airlines Group has gone ahead with its plans to shed 3,807 jobs at Iberia as part of its “transformaton plan”. The plan involves a reduction in fleet capacity, suspension of unprofitable routes and salary reductions of 23% for pilots

The European Commission has decided to refer the Dutch government to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for failing to protect the rights of employees on maternity, adoption or parental leave when they return to work.

The EU Gender Equality

For many years employers in Italy have required employees to sign an undated resignation letter when they are first hired. Although resigning employees were required last year to confirm their resignation the window for responding to the request or revoking

Talks are to be resumed in Germany later this week between the power supply company E.ON and the unions Ver.di and IG BCE. The unions have suspended a threatened walkout after extensive talks had not led to agreement over changes

There have been mixed reactions to the UK Prime Minister’s speech about the conditions necessary for Britain’s continued membership of the EU. Lest international companies should view the speech as a reason to reassess future investment intentions in the UK

A study carried out by Lausanne University has found that two-thirds of those losing their job through a mass redundancy in 2010 were able to find themselves alternative employment within two years and 11% took early retirement. 80% of those

The French and German governments have announced that they will not give free access to their labour market for Croatian workers when Croatia joins the European Union in July. Both countries will apply at least a two year restriction –

The minimum wage in Spain has risen to 645.30 euros per month. Social security rates have not changed this year, but the minimum monthly contribution base is now 752.70 euros and the the maximum contribution base is 3,425.70.

The Danish parliament has approved a Bill that will require listed companies with 50+ employees to establish targets and a timetable for improving the gender balance on their boards and in senior management positions. The target and progress towards them

From 2013 employers operating in Europe will be required to provide additional financial details to employees who are US citizens in order to satisfy new rules imposed by the the US revenue service (IRS). The new FATCA rules will impose

The German Federal Labour Court has ruled that an employer may ask their employee to provide a medical certificate covering the period from their first day of sickness absence. Employees may, however, continue to supply certificates from the third day

Over the year to Q3 2012 hourly labour costs in the business sector rose by 7.7% in Estonia, 7.1% in Bulgaria, but only by 0.5% in Slovakia and the Netherlands and 0.3% in Slovenia. Labour costs fell in a number

From January 1st 2013 employers in Austria will be required to pay a flat-rate “dissolution” supplement (Auflösungsabgabe) of 110 euros on top of social insurance contributions for each employee dismissed. No supplement will be payable where, for instance, an employee’s

Gross hourly earnings in Turkey rose over the year to Q3 by an average of 9.5%. The largest sectoral increase was in private sector services (12%), followed by 8.9% in manufacturing and 6.6% in construction.  The annual increase in consumer

Cabin staff working for the Germain airline Lufthansa have finally agreed to accept a pay deal brokered through an independent conciliator. A large majority of the 18,000 staff have voted in favour of a 3.95% increase, a one-off payment of