In this edition, we offer a diverse range of content: First, we present an update on an upcoming case before the Supreme Court concerning section 36 of the Contracts Act. We will also provide some insights from a recent Supreme Court ruling on the insurance condition regarding sudden and unforeseen physical damage. Additionally, we discuss significant takeaways from the appeals judgment in the Dutch Shell case ...
In a decision rendered on September 16, 2024,1 the Administrative Labour Tribunal (the ?ALT?) found that a company (the ?employer?) had violated the Charter of the French language2 (the ?CFL?) by requiring knowledge of languages other than French as part of a hiring process. This is one of the first decisions ruling on the new complaint mechanisms introduced by Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec3 (?Bill 96?), aimed at amending the CFL ...
The Employment Rights Bill seeks to bring about seismic change to the employment law landscape, requiring employers to adapt their current practices and policies. Our latest webinar focused on the key provisions of the Bill and how these will impact on current practices and procedures. We also looked at what further changes may be coming down the line and what steps organisations can take to prepare for them ...
On December 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”).[1] The CTA, and its Reporting Rule, were set to require approximately 32.6 million existing reporting companies to file beneficial ownership information (“BOI”) reports with FinCEN by January 1, 2025 ...
On December 2, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced it had received enough H-1B petitions to reach the statutory H-1B visa cap of 65,000, plus the 20,000 “master’s cap” for applicants with a U.S. master’s degree. Registrants who have not yet been selected will be sent non-selection notices through the online system ...
HR teams have a lot on their plate, but a key priority for 2024 is undoubtedly protecting the employee brand proposition. Our 2024 online programme is focused on supporting HR teams to do just this, equipping them with the tools they need to protect the employee brand proposition of the organisations they work for. Our latest webinar focused on what organisations need to do to respond to workers who blow the whistle ...
Just seven weeks after the 158-page Employment Rights Bill was introduced into Parliament, the House of Commons issued a 53-page paper full of various proposed amendments to the Bill. Almost all of them are government led, made by Justin Madders, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade). We consider below some of the key amendments proposed by Mr Madders and other Labour MPs ...
The Office of the Small Business Commissioner has announced the New Fair Payment Code. This is now open for businesses to apply to the new Code and it replaces the Prompt Payment Code which was introduced in 2015. Following on from our article on Payment Terms in Supply Chains (Payment Terms – what are the current rules and those coming down the track), we now have clarity on what is included in the new Fair Payment Code ...
In case number 4109/JHP decided on 25 November 2024, the Industrial Tribunal upheld the dismissal of a former employee by a Company, determining that the termination was lawful and justified. The case centered on the employee, who had served as a Senior Customer Support Agent, and whose ongoing mental health challenges and resulting inability to perform his duties led to his dismissal ...
Stay up-to-date with the ****latest developments in labour law related to employee remuneration****. These updates are essential for ensuring accurate payroll calculations, particularly in cases of employment termination, and for aligning local regulations with current legal requirements. New Minimum Wage Effective January 1, 2025, a revised minimum wage for a standard monthly work schedule will come into force ...
SyCipLaw has contributed the Philippine chapter in the latest edition of The Legal 500: International Arbitration Comparative Guide. Senior Partner and Head of Litigation Department Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko co-authored the chapter with Partners Anthony W. Dee, John Christian Joy A. Regalado, and Ma. Patricia B. Paz-Jacoba ...
On November 26, 2024, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued its long-awaited decision in AutoZone Stores, Inc. v Indus. Comm., reversing the Tenth District’s interpretation of R.C. 4123.56(F) and indirectly restoring the employer-friendly doctrine of voluntary abandonment. See Slip Opinion 2024-Ohio-5519 here. In 2020, the Ohio legislature enacted the divisive R.C. 4123.56(F), which superseded any previous precedent on the issue of “voluntary abandonment ...
An exploration of key aspects of the Employment Rights Bill which will impact living sector employers; day 1 right to claim unfair dismissal, changes to the use of zero hour contracts and the extension of the duty to protect employees from harassment. Employment Rights Bill – A Shake Up for the Living Sector The Employment Rights Bill (“ERB”) is poised to introduce significant change to the UK’s workforce ...
A federal judge in Texas has struck down the recently implemented United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) federal overtime salary threshold rule. This 2024 rule raised the minimum salary level for certain employees to be exempt from overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Generally, the FLSA requires employers to pay non-exempt employees 1.5x their regular rate for hours worked in excess of 40 in a work week ...
Metro Bank PLC was fined £16,675,200 (after a 30% discount) by the Financial Conduct Authority for failings in its transaction monitoring systems and controls. The FCA found that the bank’s failures led to the risk it was inadvertently being used for the purposes of financial crime. Key facts: Metro Bank PLC implemented an Automated Transaction Monitoring System (“ATMS”) to monitor customer transactions ...
Our final article in this series discussing different protected characteristics and the discrimination claims they give rise to, focuses on age, how employers can fall foul of the law and the steps they need to take to avoid age discrimination claims. What is age discrimination? The Equality Act 2010 prohibits both direct and indirect age discrimination, as well as age related harassment and victimisation ...
HSE involvement The Bill (if granted Royal Assent) will require the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to publish a Health and Safety Framework on violence and harassment in the workplace, including violence against women and girls and gender-based violence. Employer duties Emphasis is placed on preventative measures which should be taken by employers ...
The question of who bears the loss suffered as a result of a business email compromise was answered by the Western Cape division of the High Court in the recent judgment ofGripper & Company (Pty) Ltd v Ganedhi Trading Enterprises CC. Background Facts Gripper & Company (Pty) Limited (“Gripper”) and Ganedhi Trading Enterprises CC (“Ganedhi”) have been dealing with each other since 2014 ...
Businesses involved in, or contemplating litigation are advised to give serious consideration to ADR from the outset of a dispute as well as during the lifecycle of a claim. For those parties who relish their day in Court and pay lip service to alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”), the recent amendments to the Civil Procedure Rules (“CPR”) will make life harder for those parties as the Courts now have the power to order parties to engage in ADR ...
The published findings of the FCA's recent survey on culture and non-financial misconduct demonstrates how financial services firms have been responding to Employment issues and what might be on the horizon ...
Employers in California, and others with California employees and worksites, should take note of new laws set to take effect on January 1, 2025, as well as laws that have recently gone into effect that may impact their operations. Understanding the changes is essential for compliance, and Dinsmore’s labor and employment attorneys are available to assist with navigating these regulatory changes to ensure your organization remains compliant ...
The Belgian takeover market is currently undergoing a full transformation. Three experts from the independent law firm, ALTIUS, share their insights about the new dynamics in the field of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). “We see clear links with restructurings, bankruptcies, and the evolution of the real estate market.” The new dynamics currently driving the takeover market in our country are the result of various factors ...
Integrating AI tools at work is not without danger. Three experts from the independent Belgian law firm, ALTIUS, explain how companies should best guard against ethical risks, data protection, intellectual property rights, and trade secrets. “It is essential that organisations teach their people to work with AI safely and responsibly ...
In the past month, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has launched a voluntary I-9 verification process called “E-Verify+” aimed at improving the I-9 and E-Verify processes and streamlining employer workflows. E-Verify+, which was originally referred to as “E-Verify NextGen,” has been in the works for several years ...
How far can employers search for personal data to answer an access request? Can they check personal mobiles or laptops - or personal emails on a work device? Here we look at invading staff privacy to respect someone else's data protection rights. In this series we have already looked at taking control of data subject access requests (DSARs) through data protection by design, and understanding when you can refuse to comply with a DSAR ...
