The European Commission published a draft proposal for a revised Product Liability Directive (the “PLD Proposal”) on 28 September 2022, which aims to bring the European Union’s product liability regime ‘up to speed’ with the digital age, circular economy business models and global value chains. This blog focuses on the main changes the PLD Proposal brings and its impact on life science companies ...
For a long time, socialising at work was synonymous with drinking alcohol, but in recent times we have seen this trend start to shift. This is positive news for employers who risk social events centred around alcohol inadvertently isolating those to choose not to drink. With minimal alternatives available in the past, some employees have felt a certain pressure to drink at events to ‘keep up’ with colleagues ...
The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill has received Royal Assent and will come into force, along with implementing regulations, in September 2024. This follows our previous article in which we considered the Bill and its wider implications. The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act (the Act) aims to address “one-sided flexibility” between employers and workers who undertake atypical work ...
In case 161/2022/LM, delivered on 11th October 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Industrial Tribunal, which found justifiable reasons for dismissal. Following the Tribunal’s conclusion that the grounds for dismissal presented by the defendant company were justified, and consequently, the dismissal was fair, the former employee contested this decision in front of the Court of Appeal ...
On October 8, 2023, theScientific and Technological Ethics Review Regulation (Trial)("Scientific and Technological Ethics Regulation") was jointly published by the China's Ministry of Science and Technology ("MOST"), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other seven (7) departments/institutions, which was followed by a press conference held next day by the MOST to respond to media inquiries ("Press Conference") ...
On June 22, 2023, the federal government significantly expanded the reporting requirements for certain so-called avoidance transactions, in particular with respect to termination agreements.1 The new rules will make it easier for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to detect certain avoidance schemes, conduct tax audits and issue notices of assessment and penalties more quickly when warranted ...
On 25 September 2023, in conjunction with the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority published a consultation paper on diversity and inclusion in the financial sector. The proposals include measures to ‘support healthy work cultures, reduce groupthink and unlock talent’, in order to support the competitiveness of the UK’s financial services sector ...
World Mental Health Day is marked every year on 10 October to raise awareness about mental health issues around the world and to mobilise initiatives to support and protect everyone’s mental health. This year’s theme ‘mental health is a universal human right’ serves as a reminder that good mental health shouldn’t be considered a luxury; it’s a fundamental aspect of our wellbeing ...
As we navigate a rapidly changing digital landscape, upskilling our people continues to be a priority. In response, the innovators at MinterEllison developed Mintcoin, an internal crypto currency designed to reward participation in the firm’s Digital Academy program and innovation initiatives. We’re thrilled to announce that this initiative has secured MinterEllison a spot on the AFRs Most Innovative Companies list for 2023 ...
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has recently issued updates to assist employers to deal with data subject access requests (DSARs) and workers’ health. Complaints on DSAR non-compliance against employers are on the rise. Between April 2022 and March 2023, the ICO received 15,848 complaints in relation to DSARs, resulting in penalties for organisations in breach ...
The regulatory landscape for AI, in the UK and beyond, is evolving rapidly, with proposed statutory regimes beginning to emerge from legislators across the globe (read more here). What, then, is the current position for employers? Overview of current regime There remains a notable gap when it comes to concrete principles of liability or accountability for AI-generated or -supported outcomes ...
The UK's recent advancements in AI governance have included the publication of an initial review by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding AI foundation models. The country’s antitrust watchdog has taken the lead in shaping certain principles, recognising the need to harness AI’s potential while avoiding the pitfalls of unchecked power in the hands of a few tech companies, at the expense of broader competition ...
A patent landscape provides a bird?s-eye view of the patenting activity related to a specific technology. It can be an invaluable tool for your organization as the analysis of patent data reveals business, scientific and technological trends. Indeed, many industries increasingly rely on patent landscapes to provides a basis for understanding innovation activity in their field ...
S111A ERA 1996 allows an employer to conduct confidential discussions with an employee to agree terms for the employee’s exit. A decade on from the introduction of this provision, we consider its application in practice and why it remains underused ...
On September 28th, Law 21,614 of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security was published in the Official Gazette (hereinafter the “Law”), which establishes amendments to Law No.21,063, which Creates an Insurance for the Accompaniment of Children Suffering from Diseases as Indicated and Modifies the Labor Code for these purposes (hereinafter “SANNA Law”) ...
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has published a proposed "Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace" for public comment. If finalized, this will mark the first time since 1999 that the EEOC has updated its guidance on workplace harassment ...
By: Jennifer M. Misetich and Michelle Lopez As with every new year, California employers may face an abundance of new laws that will regulate the workplace in 2024. Governor Newsom has until October 14, 2023 to approve or veto the bills discussed below. Unless otherwise noted, the proposed laws discussed below will go into effect on January 1, 2024. Employers should become familiar with these proposed laws to ensure they are ready for compliance ...
On 14 September 2023, the Fawcett Society published guidance on fertility at work. The guide, aimed at employers, was created in partnership with TotalJobs ...
The provision which currently allows live-in domestic workers to be paid less than the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is expected to be repealed by 1 April 2024; Will this mark the end of the au pair? The draft National Minimum Wage (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2023 have been laid before Parliament. This will repeal the existing provision which exempts many domestic workers who live in the family home from the NMW ...
In the latest edition of our HR Improve series, we set out the key matters that employers should consider when external circumstances mean that changes need to be made within the organisation. Six of one, half a dozen of the other, some might say. In any event, none of these are words that are gladly welcomed when they’re included in any corporate announcement, and referring to any of them will cause concern amongst the workforce ...
