The Irish government is extending parent’s leave from seven weeks to nine weeks. The leave period is paid by Irish social insurance for qualifying employees. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (Extension of Periods of Leave) Order 2024 will enter into effect on 1 August 2024.
The South African parliament has recently passed legislation dividing occupational retirement contributions into two pots (referred to hereunder as components) 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, will come into effect on 1 September 2024.
On 1 July 2023, the Australian government increased the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contribution rate by 0.5% to 11% of employees’ earnings. The SG rate is scheduled to increase by 0.5% each year until it reaches 12% of employees’ earnings on 1 July 2025.
The current mandate in the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai requiring private employers to provide health insurance coverage to their foreign employees and domestic workers will extend to the remainder emirates of the UAE from 1 January 2025.
The Lower House of the Colombian Congress recently approved a controversial government proposal (Bill 339 of 2023) to shift the financing of the healthcare system from private providers to the government.
The reform has faced political challenges and opposition, resulting in the resignation of the former Minister of Health and a reshuffling of the cabinet. Despite these hurdles, the Colombian legislature continues to debate the reform. It is still unclear if or when the bill will pass into law.
New flexible working rules have been implemented in the UK from 6 April 2024. The changes aim to enhance work life balance and foster a more flexible working environment.
The Danish government passed amendments to the Maternity Act increasing leave entitlements for each parent of twins by 13 weeks, effective 1 May 2024.
The Chilian government passed amendments to the Labour Code reducing the weekly working hours limit from 45 to 40 hours and introducing more flexibility in the distribution of working hours.
The amendments took effect on 26 April 2024, and will enter into force gradually over a period of five years. The workweek limit decreased to 44 hours on 26 April 2024, and will decrease further to 42 hours on 26 April 2026, and to 40 hours on 26 April 2028.
The government of Québec recently passed the Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec (the Act), which strengthens and clarifies the existing mandate to use the French language in the province and requires employers to ensure that all their human resources documentation is available in French.
While most of the provisions of the Act entered into effect in 2022 and June 2023, others will enter into effect on 1 June 2025.
The Irish government recently published a bill introducing the mandatory automatic enrollment of eligible employees into a central government-run defined contribution pension fund. Auto-enrolment is expected to take effect in January 2025, once the bill is passed.