What are the consequences for employers of the strengthening of whistleblower protection by the law and decree implementing the EU whistleblowing directive in France? An expanded definition of a whistleblower A March 2022 law, supplemented by an October 2022 decree, has reinforced the statutory protection of whistleblowers in France. By transposing the European Union whistleblowing directive, the legislator aimed to integrate whistleblowers into the social…
With older workers leaving the workforce in worrying numbers, this article considers what an ‘over 50s friendly’ workplace might look like, in the UK and beyond. Increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates mean that the world’s population is ageing. This demographic challenge looks set to continue, and there are now more people aged 65 and older than there are aged under five. To succeed,…
On 24 January 2023, the Senate approved the Whistleblowers Protection Act, which replaces the 2016 Whistleblowers Authority Act. On 18 February the Act partially entered into force. The new law introduces new, more protective measures towards so-called ‘whistleblowers’. Whistleblowers are (mostly) employees who make a report because they suspect wrongdoing within the organisation. Under the new law, a whistleblower is also a person who reports…
The new year should prompt employers to review (and re-think) their annual leave policies for employees in Israel. As 2022 has just ended and a new (vacation) year begins, it is good timing for reviewing your vacation policy and whether it is enforced in practice. If changes to the policy are planned, make sure to determine and adopt the lawful process for making those changes. Social Benefit Entitlement to annual leave is treated in Israel as a social…
‘Quiet quitting’ has made headlines worldwide this year, including in Canada. What, if anything, should employers be doing about this apparent trend? Chances are, you’ve already heard of ‘quiet quitting’. From Tik-Tok to the Wall Street Journal, this is the latest trend that everyone’s talking about. ‘Quiet quitting’ doesn’t mean quitting your job, quietly or otherwise. It refers to clocking in at work when you’re…
The US National Labor Relations Board has held Tesla’s dress code, which has the effect of preventing certain workers from wearing clothing supporting their union, is not lawful. The ruling confirms employers must show ‘special circumstances’ for dress codes that directly or indirectly outlaw union insignias. Executive Summary On 29 August 2022, in a 3-2 decision, the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board)…
On 14 September, the European Parliament approved a Directive introducing the principle of a minimum wage in the European Union. What does it say, and will it herald a new era for collective bargaining? Summary On 14 September 2022, the European Parliament voted to approve a Directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU, with 505 votes in favour, 92 against and 44 abstentions. The…
A court in Israel has ruled that a company was entitled to turn down an employee’s request to work remotely. In a ruling recently issued by the Tel Aviv District Labour Court in the case of the Middle East Pipeline Company, the district court discussed a claim lodged by an employee, who worked as a payroll accountant, that her employer discriminated against her in comparison…
Europe is facing a cost-of-living crisis with spiralling food and fuel costs, in part as a result of the Ukraine war. In France, the minimum wage has been increased and a major package of measures designed to help employees deal with rising costs was published on 17 August 2022. Minimum wage On 1 August 2022, the French minimum wage (the salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance,…
Tackling the climate emergency should be high on everyone’s agenda. But should employers give greater weight to the environment when deciding whether to say yes or no to an employee’s request to do their job remotely? One of the legacies of the COViD-19 pandemic is that remote working has become normal. Workers in the so-called knowledge economy are now commonly working remotely on a hybrid…