Global Legislative Update, December 2024 

December 10, 2024

The Global Legislative Update for December 2024 provides insights from Mercer consultants around the globe about key legal developments affecting employers’ benefit and human resource programs in various countries. Download the 64-page print-friendly PDF to read the full country-by-country coverage.

Here are some highlights from the latest issue:

• Artificial intelligence: Global employer resources (updated)
• Minimum wage rates: Global employer resources (updated)
• Remote working: Global employer resources (updated)
• Reproductive rights: Global employer resources post Dobbs ruling (updated)

• Argentina: Contributions can be paid directly to health providers
• Brazil: Measures gradually reintroduce the payroll tax from 2025 to 2027
• Canada: Annual 2025 and 2026 pension limits announced
• Costa Rica: Minimum wage to increase
• Mexico: Retirement pensions for lower earners supplemented
• United States: Federal court vacates and sets aside DOL’s overtime exemption rule

• Australia: Proposed improvements to superannuation retirement phase published
• China: Two new public holidays added in 2025
• Hong Kong: Number of statutory holidays increased
• Japan: Defined contribution reforms now effective
• Singapore: First Workplace Fairness Bill issued to enhance protection against discrimination
• Taiwan: Changes to National Health Insurance scheme participation take effect on Dec. 23, 2024
• Vietnam: Social insurance law revised

• European Union: Ban on forced or child labor finalized
• Croatia: Minimum wage to increase
• Denmark: Parental leave expanded in certain circumstances
• France: Minimum wage increased
• Germany: Employment contract bureaucracy reduced
• Greece: Clarification and guidance on digital work card Ergani II application issued
• Hungary: Changes to taxation of SZÉP card recreational fringe benefit take effect on Jan. 1, 2025
• Ireland: Use of some nondisclosure agreements restricted
• Latvia: Minimum wage to increase
• Malta: Minimum wage to increase
• Portugal: Minimum wage to increase
• Qatar: Nationalization program launched to boost employment rate
• Russia: Minimum wage to increase
• Slovenia: Employees now have right to disconnect outside of working hours
• South Africa: New employment measures to take effect
• Sweden: Parental leave’s ‘double days’ increased, transfer of parental allowance allowed
• United Arab Emirates: Employers can recover VAT costs of dependents’ health insurance
• United Kingdom: Consultation on delivering scale, consolidation and value in defined contribution workplace pensions issued