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Compliance News
Chile

Chile Introduces a 40-hour Workweek and Flexible Working Hours

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.  

Quebec Strengthens French Language Requirements

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.

Netherlands

The Netherlands Reforms Its Pension System

The Netherlands has embarked on sweeping pension reform that will affect most employer-sponsored and industry-wide pension plans and require significant effort from employers, employee representatives, pension providers, and asset managers over the next several years to amend schemes by the 1 January 2028 deadline. Employers should begin their transition planning now.

War and the Workplace in Israel

As combat operations continue in Gaza, there have been several developments affecting the workplace, employee rights, and employer obligations in Israel.

Cyprus

Cyprus Increases Maternity Leave Entitlements  

Cyprus has extended maternity leave entitlements for first-time birthing mothers, first-time adopting mothers, and mothers whose newborn is hospitalized for 14 or more days for health reasons. The extended leave provisions enacted by the Protection of Maternity (amendment) Law of 2024 apply to female employees who are on maternity leave or commencing maternity leave from 1 March 2024.

Mozambique Expands Leave Entitlements

The government of Mozambique passed Labor Law No. 13/2023 introducing several changes, including increases in maternity leave, paternity leave, and annual leave entitlements.

The changes entered into effect on 21 February 2024.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Increases Statutory Public Holidays

The Hong Kong Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, which focuses on progressively increasing statutory annual paid public holidays from 13 days to 17 days by 2030, entered into effect on 5 March 2021. The first of the five additional public holidays, the Birthday of Buddha, became effective in 2022. The second one, which falls on the first weekday after Christmas, will become available to employees in December 2024.

Bahrain Implements New End of Service Gratuity For Expatriates

The Bahraini government recently introduced legislation (Edict 109 of 2023) requiring private sector employers to participate in a government program to fund and deliver the mandatory End of Service Gratuity (EOSG) payments for expatriate (non-Bahraini) employees.