The rise of remote working coupled with advances in digital technology have increased workplace flexibility and, some would argue, fostered better work-life balance. But this trend has also increased the risk of work encroaching into non-working life, extending overall working hours and contributing to heightened stress and anxiety.
Global teleworking is on the rise, as companies of all sizes embrace the many benefits of hiring talent—or creating opportunities for existing employees—to work remotely from abroad. But cross-border remote working also poses unique challenges in the areas of compliance, reward, and duty of care.
The British government recently announced an increase of 9.8% from the current rate of the national living wage for workers age 21 and above (previously age 23), as well as the national minimum wage for workers age 20 and below (at least at school age). This substantial increase is intended to support the lowest earners in the United Kingdom and will be effective on 1 April 2024.
The UK government recently published new regulations clarifying annual leave carry over and calculation rules for all workers and codifying calculation rules for part-year/ irregular hour workers’ annual leave entitlements.
Employment Rights (Amendment, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023 will enter into effect on 1 January 2024, with some provisions becoming effective at a later date.
Kazakhstan recently amended labor legislation to enable employers to offer their employees four-day work weeks and other flexible working arrangements. The amendments took effect on 1 July 2023.
A five-day employer-paid domestic violence leave became effective in Ireland on 27 November 2023. This leave is part of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (see Lockton Compliance Alert), recently passed by the Irish government, which introduced several provisions with different implementation dates.
In its Budget 2023-2024, the government of Singapore introduced several parental benefit enhancements that aim to improve work-life balance for parents of children who are Singapore citizens. These changes include increasing the duration of unpaid infant care leave from six days to 12 and the period of paternity leave reimbursable by the government from two weeks to four weeks. Both changes apply to births or adoptions from 1 January 2024, but the extension of the length of paternity leave reimbursable by the government does not currently include a requirement that employers grant additional paternity leave.
The Middle East has become a dynamic talent market, and the Gulf nations are actively reforming laws and institutions to support the growth.
The South African government has recently released draft legislation that would divide occupational retirement contributions into two pots, making one-third of the funds accessible prior to retirement and the remaining two-thirds available only at retirement or death.
The new system, known as the “two-pot” system is expected to come into effect on 1 March 2024, at the earliest—the government has proposed an implementation delay that would move all implementation dates from 2024 to 2025, but it remains to be seen whether Parliament will adopt the postponement.
The Mexican government introduced draft bills that would reduce the statutory maximum workweek to 40 hours over five days, double the statutory annual Christmas bonus, and increase the seniority premium payable on termination.
The proposed changes, which would amend the Federal Labor Law, are still under discussion by the Mexican Congress. If passed, the reform would enter into effect on 1 January 2024.