Contracts of employment

Employees in Russia can now work from home

Recent developments in Russian employment law arising out of the President’s Order given on 14 March 2011 allow employees to work from home.  These changes to the Labour Code of the Russian Federation (the “Labour Code“) are effective from 19 … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Employment law reforms, Jurisdiction: Russia

UK: collective agreement clause could not be construed as giving employer choice of two pay rates

Overturning the EAT, the Court of Appeal has construed a contractual clause in a collective agreement, which provided that the employer would increase pay by one of two possible percentages, as requiring the employer to pay the higher of the … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Jurisdiction: UK

UK: Court of Appeal upholds bonus ruling in Dresdner Kleinwort v Attrill

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal from the High Court’s ruling that Dresdner Kleinwort had contractually committed to a minimum bonus pool from which it could not renege, despite deteriorating financial circumstances. The Court of Appeal endorsed all … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment

Changes to Japan’s employment law effective from 1 April 2013

As of 1 April 2013, Japan’s minimum retirement age will increase to 65 years, with further restriction on scope to refuse re-employment after an earlier company retirement age. New amendments to Japan’s Labour Contracts Act (“LCA”) will also come into … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Employment law reforms, Jurisdiction: Asia

Australia: ‘Sham contracting’ in the spotlight

A renewed regulatory focus on sham contracting and a recent decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court (Full Court) highlights the need for employers to regularly review their on-boarding processes and existing ‘independent contractor’ engagements. It is possible … Continue reading

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Filed under Australia, Contracts of employment

UK: Employers should review and consider redrafting Pilon clauses

The Supreme Court has ruled that, where an employer dismisses an employee with immediate effect in breach of the employment contract, the employee can choose whether to accept this breach as bringing the contract to an end.  If not, they … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Termination of employment

Hong Kong: The year of dragon – key employment cases to note

The year of the dragon was relatively prosperous for employment law[yers] with three high profile employment case decisions (almost unheard of in Hong Kong): In the first of these cases, Cantor Fitzgerald Europe and Cantor Fitzgerald (Hong Kong) Capital Markets … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Employees abroad, Jurisdiction: Asia, Restrictive covenants and confidential information, Trade unions and works councils, Working time rights: statutory holiday and other rest

UK: New national minimum wage rates

From 1 October 2012 the national minimum wage hourly rate for workers aged 21 and over increases to £6.19, the hourly rate for workers aged 18-20 and workers aged 16 and 17 remains £4.98 and £3.68 respectively, and the rate … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Jurisdiction: UK

Case law developments on outsourcing and contract labour in Indonesia and Korea

The ability to use atypical workers through outsourcing or labour hire as a device for employers to avoid employment costs and liabilities is becoming more limited in Asia through increased regulation and also through case law developments. In Indonesia, outsourcing … Continue reading

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Jurisdiction: Asia

UAE Labour Law – enforceability of employment contracts

There have been two material recent developments in UAE employment law in relation to the enforceability of employment contracts:

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Filed under Contracts of employment, Jurisdiction: Middle East