On 8 June 2021, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) unveiled “Fintech 2025”, a new strategy aiming to drive fintech development in Hong Kong. In essence, “Fintech 2025” seeks to encourage the financial sector to adopt technology in their businesses and transactions comprehensively by 2025 by focusing on the following five key areas: 1 ...
Although this issue was debated in the plenary session on 18 May 2021, the Judgment has not yet been published in the official gazette (Diário da República), so it has not yet taken effect. However, the 180-day trial periods of contracts entered into before this declaration of unconstitutionality are not safeguarded. Therefore, in practice, we will have terminations of contracts during the trial periodthat may now be declared to be illegal dismissals. 1 ...
Last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for employers only in the health care sector in response to President Joe Biden’s January Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety. The ETS becomes effective on the date it is published in the Federal Register, which is yet to be determined. In addition, OSHA promulgated new non-binding guidance for employers in all other sectors ...
In light of the continuing Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam and various regulations issued by the Government and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (“MOLISA”), some key considerations remain with respect to employee entitlements that employers must address and make due preparations for, as outlined below: 1 ...
In El Salvador, the Bitcoin Law was approved by the Legislative Assembly and published in the Official Gazette last June 9th of this year, establishing avacatio legisof ninety days from its publication; in that sense, its entry into force is scheduled for next September 7th ...
An additional bank holiday has been announced to take place in June 2022 to mark Her Majesty the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. But are all employees automatically entitled to paid time off and what approach should employers take? What is changing? Next year, the Spring Bank Holiday (normally due to take place on the first Monday in May) will be moved to Thursday 2 June. The additional Bank Holiday will then take place on Friday 3 June ...
Automated activism is here now on how compliant businesses are. Are you ready for potential tech-enabled complaints on your site's cookies? In 1993 Tesco ran a trial of a loyalty scheme: the Tesco Clubcard. When the results of the trial of the scheme were presented to the board in 1994, the chair, Lord Ian MacLaurin, said, ‘what scares me about this is you know more about my customers in three months than I know in 30 years’ ...
We've seen two trade union-related decisions being handed down within a week of each other: Mercer v Alternative Future Group Ltd and Nexus v NURMT & Unite. For those employers with recognised trade unions the decisions are worth taking a closer look at. Mercer v Alternative Future Group Ltd Mercer is not good news for employers ...
A Data Protection Impact Assessment (“DPIA”) is a process which helps employers to identify, analyse and minimise the data protection risks of a project. But when should employers be using a DPIA and what makes a DPIA effective? When should employers be using a DPIA? The Data Protection Act 2018 (the Act) states that a DPIA must be implemented before any processing is undertaken which is “likely to result in a high risk” to individuals ...
Workplace testing has proven to be a crucial piece in the UK government’s jigsaw to get British business back on its feet. But how can businesses implement a workplace testing programme and will the vaccine roll out make a difference? What is a lateral flow test? In March 2021, the government confirmed that almost 50,000 businesses had registered for free and regular lateral flow tests through the government funded workplace testing scheme ...
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) had set a revised deadline (June 30 2021) for filing of data protection audit by data controllers. With the deadline fast approaching, we share somefrequently asked questions (FAQ) on Data Protection in our publication, accessiblehere,which may aid in undersanding what companies need to do in order to comply with NITDA’s directives ...
Today personal data travels instantly, and it is easy to forget the journey and the risks, but access to certain countries can be restricted without the proper paperwork, including the new SCCs. Is your personal data fit to travel? The new SCCs passport The main safeguard used to send personal data internationally, the Standard Contract Clauses (SCCs) have just been updated on 4 June 2021. Work will be needed to renew your personal data contract passport for it to travel ...
Haynes and Boone, LLP Counsel Raquel Alvarenga talked with HR Magazine about continued COVID-19-related accommodations for vaccinated employees.Below is an excerpt:Many businesses have developed policies on providing reasonable accommodations to employees who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine for religious or disability-related reasons. Employers shouldn't forget that fully vaccinated workers may need accommodations, too.In recently updated guidance, the U.S ...
On May 14, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new final rule that will further delay the effective date of the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology (MCIT) and Definition of Reasonable and Necessary Final Rule (the Final Rule) until no earlier than Dec. 15, 2021 ...
Do you trust your employees about their vaccination status, or do you need to see proof? Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new mask guidance came out last week, many employers have been wrestling with the question of how best to determine the COVID-19 vaccination status of their employees ...
The rapid spread of Covid-19 has placed the healthcare system in Thailand under severe pressure. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, new startups focusing on telemedicine have sprung up to take on the challenge of innovating the way healthcare services can be provided to patients ...
Some opening words In South Africa, as in many jurisdictions, the concept of good faith (bona fides) crops up a lot. So, for example, in order to get registration of a trade mark, the applicant must have a good faith intention to use the trade mark. Once the trade mark is registered the owner must use it in good faith in order to keep the registration alive. In the words of George Michael, “You gotta have faith". Good faith ...
With increasing numbers of Canadians being immunized each day against COVID-19, the question on many peoples’ minds is whether Canadians will be asked to prove they are vaccinated by way of a vaccine passport. Vaccine passports can take a range of forms, but the defining feature is a verified record of a person’s immunization status ...
On Friday 4 June 2021, a new Ministerial Decree was published in the Belgian State Gazette that includes new provisions regarding telework. For the time being, telework remains compulsory and employers remain obliged to register their non-teleworkable positions with the National Social Security Office (NSSO) and to provide workers whose presence at the workplace is needed with a certificate confirming this fact ...
JOINT PRAKAS 315 AND 316 ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE, dated 12 May 2021 The Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”) issued a new announcement (“Announcement”) on the Granting of E-Commerce Permits and Licenses on 26 May 2021. Eligible applicants may now apply for e-commerce permits or licenses with immediate effect from the MOC through an online portal – www.ecommercelicensing.moc.gov ...
On Tuesday 25 May 2021 at its regular weekly meeting, the Thai Cabinet approved the Department of Land Transport’s draft Ministerial Regulation (“Regulation”) that will open the way for ride-hailing companies to register for an operating license. This will allow drivers to register their personal vehicles (with a maximum capacity of seven people) as taxis to be used with such ride-hailing applications ...
Saravut Krailadsiri, our tax partner and Pichaya Nimcharoen, our tax associate recently published a journal for Thailand’s Office of Judicial and Legal Affairs of the Court of Justice, Thailand as part of “Dunlaphaha: Journal of the Court of Justice ...
On 4 June, the European Commission adopted new standard contractual clauses («SCC»), which replaces previous standard clauses for the transfer of personal data to countries outside the EEA (third countries). In addition, the Commission has for the first time adopted a standard data processor agreement governing the data processor’s processing of personal data on behalf of the data controller ...
In Notice 2021-31, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides broad guidance in a question-and-answer format on the application of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) regarding premium assistance under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) continuation coverage provisions ...
By: Alexandra Shulman The Oregon Legislature recently passed a new bill (SB 169) that will have a major impact on the use of noncompetition agreements in Oregon. These amendments to Oregon’s existing noncompetition statute, ORS 653.295, will become effective on January 1, 2022, and will apply to all Oregon noncompetition agreements entered into on or after that date. The most significant changes to the statute are described below. Reduced Term ...
