Minimum wage increase The United Kingdom will increase the National Living Wage on 6 April 2019, from GBP 7.83 per hour to GBP 8.21 per hour for employees age 25 and older. The 4.9 percent increase was announced in the […]
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DOH) has issued a circular requiring all pharmacies to dispense generic medications listed on a DOH formulary beginning 1 September 2018. Patients will be able to choose between brand name or generic medicine, but they […]
Thailand’s Department of Labour Protection and Welfare is increasing the statutory maternity leave entitlement by eight days, from the current 90 days to 98 days. The proposed changes will also separate the leave into a separate prenatal leave period of […]
With little notice, the Polish parliament passed a law declaring 12 November 2018, a nonworking holiday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Polish independence. The exceptional holiday will only apply in 2018 and will not be commemorated with a nonworking holiday […]
The government introduced legislation on 19 September 2018, that would provide a specific process for employees to make a pay equity claim against an employer or group of employers. The previously proposed process required that claimants demonstrate that their claim […]
Hong Kong’s Legislative Council voted to increase paternity leave from three days to five days as part of the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2018, which is expected to come into effect prior to the Lunar New Year holiday in February 2019. […]
Beginning 15 February 2020, Brazil’s new data protection law, Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (LGPD), will require companies to comply with strict requirements related to the processing of personal data. The law is similar in many respects to the […]
Bahrain’s new Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), Law No. 30 of 2018, will come into force 1 August 2019. It regulates how personal data is collected, processed and stored, and it gives data owners specific rights to know what data […]
On 9 October 2018, the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain published the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Decree, Law No. 48, implementing VAT on 1 January 2019, for businesses with annual turnover above BHD 37,700 (USD 100,000). Implementing regulations are expected […]
The government of the Kingdom of Bahrain has enacted a new health insurance law (Bahrain Law No. 23 of 2018) establishing a compulsory health insurance program known as Sehati (My Health). The law, which entered into force 7 June 2018, […]