Part of the fall-out of the COVID-19 pandemic is the condition labelled ‘long-covid’. This is still a relatively new condition that remains under study, but symptoms include extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, loss of smell and muscle aches. Some people experience further complications and suffer memory problems known as ‘brain fog,’ difficulty sleeping, dizziness, depression and anxiety ...
What is the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill? Many UK consumer laws originate from European law. Following the UK’s departure from the EU, the government wanted to provide legal continuity and certainty and to allow consumers to retain the benefit of such EU derived laws. This was achieved through Retained EU law, a form of domestic law, that was created to preserve the law of the UK following Brexit ...
On April 10th, 2023, the Congress approved a bill that reduces the workday weekly limit from 45 to 40 hours (Bill N°11.179-13). This bill, however, includes multiple and important amendments to the working hour and rest regimes, amongst which we can highlight the following: Reduction of the ordinary working hours limit The duration of the ordinary working hours will be reduced from 45 to 40 hours ...
In early March, Georgia's Access to Medical Cannabis Commission finally adopted rules governing the state's low-THC oil industry. As businesses navigate this new landscape, legal questions will inevitably pop up. And lawyers, being trained to answer them, will want to address their clients' questions. But a ruling from the Georgia Supreme Court means that Georgia lawyers generally cannot ethically advise participants in this new program ...
What can employers say in a job advertisement? How to verify the legality of a worker’s stay in Poland? What are the steps for legally hiring Ukrainians in Poland? What formalities are required when amending their terms of employment? How to delegate Ukrainian citizens to work elsewhere in the EU? How to end cooperation with foreign workers? Lawyers from the firm’s Employment & Global Mobility practice write about the rules for employing Ukrainians in Poland ...
The rise of ChatGPT and other large language models has been well-documented, although the technology underpinning it has been developing for several years ...
In the fourth of our HR Improve articles, we consider the importance of effective absence management and what steps employers should take to support employees whilst minimising the impact of sickness absence on the organisation. All organisations will experience employees taking sickness absence at one time or another. The Office for National Statistics found that 149 million days of work were lost in 2021 due to sickness absence ...
Earlier this year, the government announced its support for the passing of the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill. Should it become law, the Bill is set to bring huge change for tens of millions of employees in the UK who do not currently have a statutory right to request a predictable working pattern ...
Employer obligations From the date the Order takes effect, all employers will need to ensure they are paying at least the minimum wage and that their contracts and/or Statements of Employment are updated where necessary to ensure that they are compliant. Note that only 'employees' are entitled to the minimum wage, not self-employed contractors ...
As per a state-owned daily publisher dated 4th April 2023, the grand opening of trademark registration will be launched on 26th April 2023 (“Grand Opening“). On the date of the Grand Opening, the applications for the old and new trademarks will be accepted for registration purposes. The mark intended for use without actual use in the Myanmar market will also be accepted as a new mark ...
In the Apple TV+ show Severance, employees of Lumon Industries may agree to a "severance" program in which non-work memories are separated from work memories. Outside of work, these Lumon Industries employees cannot discuss what happened at work because they have no memory of it. While Severance’s technology is fictional, employers frequently seek a similar result when offering severance agreements to departing employees ...
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) initiatives play a critical role in creating and sustaining a high-functioning business with an open flow of creative ideas. As companies continue to adapt to having an increased share of employees working in a remote or hybrid role, they should reexamine whether their workplace culture is inclusive for people of all backgrounds and experiences ...
The process of selecting the right candidate for a new position involves time and resources. Extending an offer of employment is generally an exciting endeavor for both the employer and its new hire - which is why the details set forth in that offer of employment are so critical. While a verbal offer of employment is perfectly appropriate to provide, it is equally important that a written offer follow ...
On 18 January 2023, the Belgian Competition Authority (“BCA”) reimposed a fine of EUR 859,310 on three undertakings of the Caudalie group for imposing retail prices and restricting active and passive sales ...
The Law on Food Safety which was promulgated on 8 June 2022 obliges food business operators (such as food business owners or manufacturers, processors, packagers, wholesalers, retailers, and distributers) (“Operators”) to immediately notify the competent authorities of problems with the food products and cooperate with the authorities to implement measures to avoid or minimize risks caused by the food, as well as to trace, recall, and withdraw unsafe food products from the market ...
In April statutory rates of pay and maximum awards in the Employment Tribunal increase. Given current inflation, the increases this year are higher compared to previous years. Employers must ensure they adequately budget for the rise in staffing costs. The key changes to rates and limits that employers need to be aware of are set out below ...
When a union knocks on an employer's door, it can be a shock and awe experience for the unprepared employer. It is important for employers to understand their rights and obligations when dealing with unions to ensure that they make the right decisions for their business. And, like most things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound or more of cure ...
When a union knocks on an employer's door, it can be a shock and awe experience for the unprepared employer. It is important for employers to understand their rights and obligations when dealing with unions to ensure that they make the right decisions for their business. And, like most things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound or more of cure ...
Continuing with the HR Improve series for this year, this month we focus on effective performance management. Performance management is key to the success of individual employees and the organisations they work for. So why is it so hard to get it right? Performance management is a process between a manager and their direct reports to ensure the expected level of performance is achieved and maintained ...
Amidst the UK's labour shortage, there has been a rise in part-time working. Why is full-time employment falling out of favour and how can the Chancellor address this? It is well documented that the UK has a labour shortage. There is no agreed consensus on the cause of this shortage; with early retirement, post-pandemic economic inactivity and Brexit all floated as potential contributing factors ...
Whistleblowing or simply put, the act of drawing attention to or complaining about perceived wrongdoing, misconduct, unethical activity within one’s organisation has been a topic of great relevance in the last few years. While there is no federal law relating to whistleblowing in the UAE, there have been significant legal developments in this area. The Dubai Law No ...
