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Poland

Poland expands family leave entitlements

The Polish Government introduced a bill that expands parental leave entitlements and introduces a right to flexible work arrangements for parents of young children and carers, as well as
carers leave and emergency leave for all employees.

The amendments aim to align Poland with the European Union Directive No. 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers.

The Bill is in the initial legislative stages and still needs to be passed by both houses of the Polish parliament and signed by the President before it becomes law. The exact implementation date is not yet known.

Bulgaria expands family leave entitlements

The Bulgarian government recently amended its Labour Code to extend paternity leave entitlements and introduce a right to flexible work arrangements for parents of young children and carers. The amendments align Bulgaria with the European Union Directive No. 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers.

The amendments were published in the State Gazette and became effective on 1 August 2022.

Spain

Spain introduces menstrual leave

The Spanish parliament recently passed new legislation introducing multiple changes to menstrual and reproductive health legislation including a government-paid temporary sick leave for female employees who suffer severe menstrual pain. The new leave (also called “menstrual leave”) may be taken for as long as needed so long as the temporary medical incapacity is approved by a doctor.

The legislation will enter into effect three months after its publication in the Official Gazette (the exact publication date is still yet to be determined).

Ireland

Ireland expands family leave entitlements

The Irish government recently approved the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 which introduces a right to request flexible working arrangements, five days of government-paid domestic violence leave, and five days of unpaid carer’s leave (called “serious medical care leave”).

The Bill is currently in its third reading before the Irish parliament and is expected to enter into force in the near term (the exact date is yet to be determined).

Guernsey to mandate auto-enrollment in an occupational pension scheme

The government of Guernsey recently approved legislation requiring the mandatory, automatic enrollment of employees into either a government-facilitated defined-contribution scheme (Your Island Pension- YIP) or a qualified, employer-sponsored pension plan.

Contributions will start at 1% for both the employer and the employee. The contribution rate will automatically increase annually until it reaches 3.5% for employers and 6.5% for employees in 2030.

The auto-enrollment requirement is expected to enter into effect on 1 October 2023.

Hungary

Hungary expands family leave entitlements

The Hungarian government recently passed significant employment legislation to introduce parental and carer’s leave entitlements, double the number of paternity leave days and introduce a right to request flexible work arrangements. The legislation brings Hungary into alignment with the European Union Directive No. 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers.

The amendments to the Hungarian Labor Code provisions entered into effect on 1 January 2023.

Switzerland

Switzerland establishes paid adoption leave

The Swiss government recently passed amendments to the Swiss Code of Obligations (“CO”) and to the Loss of Earnings Compensation Act (“LECA”), granting ten working days of government-paid adoption leave to employees who adopt children under the age of four. The leave entitlement went into effect on 1 January 2023.

Malaysia

Malaysia to expand family leave entitlements [Updated]

On 30 March 2022, the Malaysian Parliament passed the Employment Bill 2021 introducing several amendments to the Employment Act of 1955, including the extension of the maternity leave from 60 days to 98 days and the introduction of a seven-day employer-paid paternity leave. The new Bill entered into effect on 1 January 2023.

Australia to combine and expand parental leave entitlements

The Australian government recently announced that the existing government-paid primary caregiver parental leave and partners leave will be combined into a single 20 week leave available to, and shareable between, both parents starting from 1 July 2023. Once combined, the parental leave will increase by an additional 2 weeks every year from 1 July 2024 until it reaches 26 weeks on 1 July 2026.