News Flash
Malaysia: Work permits cut
The Malaysian government has decided to stop issuing work permits for North Korean manual workers following the assassination of the estranged half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. The North Korean economy relies
Comment: LDTs have arrived
Articles abound on the coming wave of labour displacing technologies (LDTs), but it is so easy to remain skeptical about future prospects for automation as current levels of employment appear to be fairly stable and the demand for people with
Comment: Secret engagement
When I visited China for the first time and looked out of my hotel window I thought that I could hear the sound of social unrest from side streets nearby. But when I left my hotel and traced the sounds
Venezuela: Chasing runaway inflation
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has ordered that the national minimum wage be increased again by 50% with immediate effect. He also announced his intention to crack down on economic speculation in an attempt to control prices. The latest wage hike
Comment: Building a CV (2)
In my previous comment column, I outlined the early stages of building a CV. I now focus on how to aim for that top corporate HR job – once graduation has come and gone.
The problem with being a new
Russian Federation: Ban lifted
Restrictions on the operations of Turkish companies in Russia and the ban on the employment of Turkish nationals in the country have now been lifted. Turkish business people visiting Russia for short periods are now entitled to visa-free travel.
China: bilateral agreement
A bilateral social security agreement between China and Spain has just been signed. Under the agreement, Chinese nationals working temporarily in Spain, and Spanish nationals working temporarily on assignments in China, will both be exempt from mandatory social security contributions
Canada: Random health checks
A number of companies, particularly in the transportation sector, have sought to introduce regular health checks for key staff. These have sometimes included policies allowing for random checks. Trade unions have generally apposed such policies. One such employer is the
Comment: Building a CV
There is a lot of advice available for anyone wishing to design and put together a CV – but precious little for someone starting out on their career concerning how to build up a good CV from school until that
GLOBAL: New minimum maternity standard
The energy company Royal Dutch Shell has decided to introduce a worldwide minimum standard of 16 weeks paid maternity leave. The new policy will be introduced immediately, but will be fully implemented by January 1st 2018.
Comment: Usual suspects
How many times does the tired expression get wheeled out when disaster strikes that “lessons must be learned”? It is a favourite mantra in the public sector because it deflects blame and loss of face from those that would otherwise
SE Asia: Disabled key to GDP growth
A meeting APEC member countries has just taken place in Hà Nội, Vietnam to discuss the employment of disabled people in the region. It was concluded that although many APEC countries had laws in place to encourage the employment of
Comment: Illiteracy and the law
The UK Supreme Court has sought to resolve a potential contradiction in previous rulings about the wording of contracts. In one ruling (Arnold vs Britton) it was determined that commercial interpretations should not override literal (called ‘natural’ by the court)
South Korea: Policy change in prospect
The election of Moon Jae-in as President ushers in a new era of liberal politics in South Korea, just as threats from the north grow over the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile defence system. Moon promised to root out the
Germany: Partial burqa ban
The lower house of the German federal parliament has given way to pressure from right wing populist parties by passing a ban on the wearing of the full face covering burqa and niqab by civil servants, judges and the military.