On February 2023, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a report assessing the framework for the impact evaluation of active labour market policies (ALMPs) in Finland.
It covers the whole cycle of evidence-based policymaking from strategy and planning of evaluations, resources, data collection, and evaluation methodologies to disseminating evidence and uses in policymaking.
A technical report accompanies the report on evaluation results.
The Israeli Privacy Protection Authority presented its draft guidance on the privacy aspects of monitoring remote work, offering clarifications and recommendations for the conduct of organisations on this issue.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued Ministerial Resolution No. 657, setting out that workplace injuries and illnesses must now be reported in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The resolution sets out the means and obligations of employers to report work-related illnesses and injuries and avoid disciplinary action to ensure workers' safety.
On November 2022, the Federation of Uganda Employers, in partnership with the ILO, launched a new Report that looked at the impact of Covid -19 on Ugandan workplaces.
The research study, based on a survey that covered a wide crosssection of enterprises in many sectors, aimed to understand better the effects of Covid and the plans of enterprises.
It shows that many enterprises have had to significantly alter their operations and production processes, human resource strategies, work modalities, and many other aspects of their enterprises, but also that Covid-19 created a range of new opportunities and challenges for the human resources side of a business.
On 28 November 2022 was published the long-awaited decree of the Minister of Labour, in agreement with the Ministers for Equal Opportunities and for the Economy and Finance, which defines the criteria and modalities for the use of the contribution exemption for private employers who obtain gender equality certification.
The exemption applies only to private companies that have achieved gender equality certification, while public administrations are expressly excluded.
In 2021, the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland and the Diligent Institute conducted the first research to understand how boards address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and integrate ESG-related risks and opportunities into their strategies.
In 2022 followed, a second research initiative, described in the 2022 report launched last November, covers the importance of ESG, including board oversight and structure, strategy, risk, and boardroom practices, skills, and EU legislation.
On 19 September 2022, during the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Conference, Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower, announced the adoption of a Code Of Practice (COP) that clarifies the organisational systems and culture to be implemented by directors of all companies to be compliant with the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006.
It aims to strengthen ownership of companies’ Chief Executives’ and Board of Directors' workplace safety and health roles and duties.
It had been gazetted with effect from 31 October 2022.
On 28 September 2022, the Governor of Puerto Rico signed into law Act No. 82-2022, that amended Act No. 17-1988 (“Law to Prohibit Sexual Harassment in the Workplace”) and requires employers to implement a protocol to manage sexual harassment incidents in the workplace.
On 8 November 2022, the Puerto Rico Department of Labour (PRDOL) published the Model Protocol that employers have to adapt to investigate sexual harassment allegations.
On 26 August 2022, the Portuguese government released plans to introduce a new digital nomad visa to encourage remote workers to live and work in the country.
This temporary renewable visa, which can be obtained from 30 October 2022, is available to individuals earning at least four times the national minimum wage (the current minimum monthly income is €705 but is increasing to €750 in 2023), that provides a work contract or proof that they are self-employed.
On 13 September 2022, Perù’s Minister of Economy and Finance presented to representatives from private sector business and labour associations the government’s Plan Impulso Perú.
The Plan aims to restart the country’s economic growth and promote job creation.
The Federal Center for Conciliation and Labour Registry is the new body responsible for settling labour law disputes in Mexico, replacing the former conciliation and arbitration boards.
It became operational with effect on 3 October. This is the final phase of the implementation of the labour reform passed in Mexico in 2019.
On 1 August 2022, an urgent notice, jointly released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the National Health Commission, prohibits any prejudice and discrimination against recovered COVID-19 patients in the job market.
Scottish Government launched a free online platform, Supporting a mentally healthy workplace, aiming to support employers to boost mental health in the workplace post-pandemic and to implement a culture of well-being at work.
It is available for employers from 11 August 2022.
On 23 August 2022, the Comité de conjuncture (Economic Committee) examined possible solutions for businesses affected by gas shortages to save employment.
The Minister of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the Minister of the Economy and the social partners agreed to allow employers, whose activities will be impacted by a restriction imposed by the government on their gas consumption, to resort to partial unemployment.
On 29 August 2022, the Chilean government announced it would ratify ILO Convention n. 190 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work, aiming to address equality and non-discrimination in the workplace.
Chile thus becomes the 21st country to ratify the convention since its entry into force on 25 June 2021.
On 23 June 2022, the Ministry of Employment and Labour released a series of proposals to the working hour and the wage system in South Korea, aiming to give to give employers and workers more flexibility post-covid.
Among the proposed measures there is a plan to increase the period for calculating overtime under a so-called flexible working hours system.
On 3 June 2022, the Government published the gender pay gap reporting regulations, setting out the details of the reporting obligations under the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021.
On 18 March 2022, South Africa’s Minister of Employment and Labour enacted the new Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination on Harassment in the Workplace.
It provides a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of workplace harassment, whether it’s on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, or race.
On 28 March 2022 the Government released the first White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development, that outlines concrete actions to take collectively towards a fairer and more inclusive society.
It sets out 25 collective action plans in five main areas to advance women’s development, the first one concerning equal opportunities in the workplace.
Between January 2019 and June 2021, Just Economy and Labour Institute (JELI), with support from the International Development Research Center Canada (IDRC) conducted action-oriented research on platform-based care workers including domestic workers and massage therapists in Thailand.
The report, published on 7 March 2022, aims to collect information about NDAs in order to provide a resource for policy-makers in their deliberations about any future regulation of the use of NDAs.
African companies are working on the digitalization of their activities to meet the needs of the international markets, and this is increasing the use of self-employed workers.
IOM Vietnam conducted a labour market assessment with employers in five key target provinces in Vietnam (Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh).
It aimed to understand the nature of labour and skills demand and supply in these areas, identify the key sectors that influence the type and quantity of employment opportunities and identify the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 on the local labour market in the perspectives of the employer, government and employee.
Due to COVID-19, the existing agreements on the tax regime of employees working at home, instead of in the country where they should normally work, was further extend until 31 March 2022.
The measure aims to prevent that the employment income of cross-border employees working from home becomes fully taxable in their State of residence.
On 10 December 2021, the National Minimum Wage Commission (NMWC) presented its report and recommendations on the annual review of the national minimum wage for 2022.
The majority of Commissioners, after considering the current economic state of the country and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both employers and employees, recommends that the national minimum wage should be increased by 1,0% above inflation.
On 6 December 2021, the former Mayor of New York City (NYC), Bill de Blasio, announced a vaccine mandate, covering all private-sector workers effective 27 December 2021.
On 15 December 2021, NYC released guidance on mandatory vaccine requirement for private employers.
On 29 October 2021, the National Wages Council (NWC), a tripartite body made up by employer, employee and government representatives, developed its annual Guidelines on wages and employment-related issues for the period 1 December 2021 - 30 November 2022.
The NWC therefore also calls on all employers who have not done it yet to implement the Flexible Wage System (“FWS”).
The government proposed a package aims to overcome the economic crisis brought about by the pandemic, including beefing up support for companies actively raising employee wages.
It is working on plans to raise the maximum tax deduction rate to 40 per cent for small businesses and 30% for large corporates that increase employee wages.
Africa is growing exponentially in the online gig economy.
The 2021 Fairwork Foundation report on gig work in South Africa confirms that digital labour platforms hold the potential to reduce the extremely high unemployment and inequality levels.
The Council of Ministers agreed to refer to Parliament the approval of two International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions: Convention n. 177, on home work, and Convention 190, on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.
Accession to both conventions means further protection of the labour rights of workers, regardless of where they carry out their professional activity, and respect for fundamental rights in the workplace.
The Bombay High Court issued guidelines for cases under the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act and Rules (POSH Act).
The aim is the preservation of anonymity in sexual harassment cases and to protect the identities of the parties from even accidental disclosure.
On September 2021, the Government released for consultation its proposals (“Making Flexible Working the Default”) for strengthening flexible working rights.
On 29 July 2021, the U.S. Department of Labour announced a final rule to rescind the previous on, “Joint Employer Status under the Fair Labour Standards Act” (FLSA), that took effect in March 2020.
Rescinding that rule on assessing who can be jointly liable as an employer will increase the risk of liability when using independent contractors.
The final rule becomes effective on 28 September 2021.
The International Labour Office (ILO Office) released a new tool allowing country’s stakeholders and evaluation services at the national level to review their systems of apprenticeships and manage improvements.
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