Multinational Employers

The year 2025 brought a wide range of employment law decisions with major practical impact. Both the Federal Labor Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) addressed key issues on protection against dismissal, discrimination, equal pay, and participation rights of works councils.

Every year brings new developments and amendments in German employment law. Below is a summary of what to expect in 2026. A particularly noteworthy development is the loosening of rules regarding fixed-term employment for employees who have reached the statutory retirement age.

May the European Union dictate how minimum wages are set in the member states? With its judgment of November 11, 2025 ( C-19/23 ) on the EU Minimum Wage Directive ( Directive (EU) 2022/2041 ), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) draws a clear line for the first time: the European

Every year, flu season presents companies in Germany with similar questions: What happens if an employee falls ill while on vacation? Can they work from home, and how should sick children be dealt with? The following guide provides some orientation.

Mexico: Increase to the UMA Value Announced for 2026 On January 8, 2026, Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography published the new values for the Updated Metric Unit (“ Unidad de Medida y Actualización ,” or “UMA”) that will take effect on February 1, 2026, as provided by Article 5 o

Northern Ireland is moving towards a statutory gender pay gap reporting framework. The Department for Communities (DfC) is currently in the process of implementing legislative changes to introduce gender pay gap reporting requirements for employers in Northern Ireland.

The Netherlands: The Flexibility of an On-call Contract According to a recent decision of the Rotterdam District Court in interim relief proceedings, even though an on-call contract can be flexible, employers have to be aware of the rules that protect employees. In this ASAP we summarize the rules o

The Netherlands: Should Employers Seek Reimbursement for Study Costs? In principle, employees who undergo compulsory training within the meaning of Article 7:611a of the Dutch Civil Code do not have to repay any fees for such training; their employer bears all the costs of course fees, books, exams

Canada: British Columbia Establishes New Illness and Injury Leave On November 27, 2025, British Columbia Bill 30 received Royal Assent, establishing a new illness and injury leave for employees. This law, effective immediately, provides up to 27 weeks of unpaid leave each year. Length of Leave and E

The UK Employment Rights Act received Royal Assent in Parliament on 18 December 2025. These changes build on the existing duty for employers with 250 or more employees to report annually. From 1 January 2027, these employers will be required to go further by producing mandatory gender pay gap and

The European Commission (EC) recently confirmed that the implementation deadline for the transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970) will be unchanged despite fears that some EU member states may experience delays. The EC issued its written response in answer to a qu

The UK Employment Rights Bill was published on 10 October 2024, and it was introduced as part of the UK government’s “Plan to Make Work Pay,” which is designed to modernise UK employment rights. The aim of the bill is to improve job security, raise living standards, and create fair

Technological progress offers employees and employers increasing opportunities for flexible employment arrangements. For example, employees can live in Germany and work from home for foreign companies without having to relocate and thus change their entire living circumstances. The consequences of s

Further Clarity on the German Pay Transparency Act: Top Earners as Suitable Comparators The EU Pay Transparency Directive stipulates that member states must transpose their provisions into national law by June 7, 2026. tgelbman@littler.com Tue, 12/09/2025 - 10:52

Littler Lounge: European Employer Edition – From Policy Shifts to Workplace Solutions This episode kicks off with a little red-carpet flair – Littler’s Stephan Swinkels returns from the 2025 European Executive Employer conference in London to share the inside scoop. Hosts Nicole LeFave and Claire De

On December 3, 2025, Mexico’s Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare ( Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social ) announced an increase to the daily minimum wage that will be applicable in Mexico for 2026.

On 26 November 2025, the UK government published a working paper inviting views on options to reform non-compete clauses in employment contracts. The proposal, which was originally indicated in 2020 but not included in the current government’s “Plan to Make Work Pay,” now calls for views through con

Jackson Lewis is a founding member of L&E Global, a worldwide alliance of independent law firms providing advice and counsel on employment law matters. We are pleased to present you with recent international employment law updates for December 2025 compiled by L&E Global.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has held in a preliminary ruling procedure that parents who care for a child with a disability may seek protection under the principle of equal treatment against their employer, and may therefore have a claim to adjustments to their working hours.

Employers Set to Benefit from Proposed Changes to EU AI Act Facing concerns from industry and citing implementation challenges at the governmental level, the European Commission this week proposed a deferral of aspects of the AI Act and proposed other substantial amendments . Major proposed amendmen