Global Legislative Update, May 2025 

May 7, 2025

The Global Legislative Update for May 2025 provides insights from Mercer consultants around the globe about key legal developments affecting employers’ benefit and human resource programs in various countries. Download the 57-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)
• Right to disconnect: Global employer resources (updated)

• Argentina: Access to the Universal Pension for older individuals expanded
• Brazil: Employers must include psychosocial risks in risk-management process
• Canada: New guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans issued
• Mexico: Employers now liable for employees housing loan payments in certain circumstances
• Nicaragua: Minimum wages increased
• United States: Executive order seeks to end disparate impact liability

• Australia: Larger employers must establish equality targets
• Hong Kong: Mandatory pension fund offsetting ends
• Singapore: Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities Scheme (M-SEP) scheme expanded
• South Korea: Plans to increase pension premiums, expand coverage
• Thailand: Details about Employee Welfare fund provided, contributions required

• European Union: Agreement finalized on postponement of corporate sustainability, due diligence reporting rules for some companies
• Belgium: Political work program to boost competitiveness issued by government
• Bulgaria: Electronic employment register introduced
• France: Earnings ceiling for statutory sick pay reduced
• Germany: Female employees will be entitled to maternity leave after suffering a miscarriage
• Greece: Test period of ERGANI II (digital card) begins
• Hungary: Personal tax exemption for eligible mothers proposed
• Ireland: Small delay for start of ‘My Future Fund’ for pension autoenrollment
• Jordan: Doctor’s fees to increase
• Poland: Rules for employing non-EU nationals
• Portugal: Paid leave for endometriosis, adenomyosis during menstrual cycle introduced
• South Africa: Sectoral numerical targets for employment equity plans published
• Spain: Measures introduced to encourage delayed, partial and active retirement
• Turkey: Initiative launched to prevent psychological harassment in workplaces
• United Kingdom: The Pensions Regulator to regulate professional trustees