The Global Legislative Update for December 2021 provides insights from Mercer consultants around the globe about key legal developments affecting employers’ benefit and human resource programs in various countries. Download the 65-page print-friendly PDF to read the full issue. Here are some highlights of the latest coverage:

Global

• COVID-19 pandemic: Countries address workplace issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic
• Remote working: Countries address remote-working issues

Americas

• Argentina: Employers’ contribution to occupational disease fund increased
• Brazil: Deadline for CNPF registration duty on pension entities approaches
• Canada: Employers required to provide paid sick leave in British Columbia
• United States: Final rule implements $15 minimum hourly wage for federal contractors

AsiaPac

• Australia: Financial Accountability Regime moves forward
• China: Preferential tax treatments for bonuses, equity incentives and some expatriate benefits to expire
• South Korea: Employers required to provide wage statements

EMEA

• European Union: Standby time under working time directive clarified
• Cyprus: Maternity leave for mothers with two or more children extended
• Czech Republic: Minimum wage to increase significantly
• Finland: Survivors’ pension scheme revised
• France: Workplace employee representation bodies must consider environmental issues
• Germany: Employers to pay contributions for some pre-2019 defined contribution pension plans
• Greece: New mandatory individual retirement account introduced
• Ireland: Final code of practice published for pension trustees
• Jersey, Channel Islands: Rest break established, paid leave increased
• Netherlands: Gender balance duty for companies introduced
• Portugal: Employers prohibited from contacting employees after hours
• Qatar: Employers must provide healthcare coverage to expatriate employees
• Russia: Fingerprint registration and medical examination required for foreign workers
• United Arab Emirates: Extensive private-sector labor reforms enacted
• United Kingdom: New rules on statutory pension benefit transfers take effect