Global benefits insights: June 2026

A summary of the latest employee benefits changes from around the world | 3 minute read

Belgium

Reviews Labour Law¹

On 30th April 2026, Belgium’s House of Representatives approved two acts that significantly affect working time, including overtime, and the structuring of employment contracts.

Key changes include:

Minimum part-time working hours have been reduced from one-third to one-tenth of a full-time schedule.
Probationary periods will be reintroduced from 1st June 2026, after being abolished in 2024. During the first six months of employment, either party may terminate the contract with one week’s notice.
The voluntary overtime quota has increased to 360 hours per year, with 240 hours exempt from payroll taxes and social security contributions. In the hospitality sector, the maximum has increased to 450 overtime hours per year.
For contracts starting after the reform, notice periods will be capped at 52 weeks once an employee reaches 17 years of seniority.

Brazil

Requires employer vaccination guidance²

Amendments to the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT), approved by Decree-Law No. 5,452 of 1st May 1943, require employers to provide information on official government vaccination schedules.

This includes information on vaccines that help prevent cancers linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), as well as breast, cervical and prostate cancers.

Egypt

Mandates workplace nursery requirements^{3, 4}

Under Decree 48, Egypt now requires employers to provide childcare support.

Employers with more than 100 female employees at a site must either provide an on-site nursery or arrange care through a licensed external nursery for children under four.

For employers with fewer than 100 female employees, those located within a 500-metre radius may collaborate to establish a shared nursery.

Employees will contribute to childcare costs on a tiered basis: 4% of salary for the first child, 3% for the second child, including multiple births, and 2% for the third child. From the fourth child onwards, employees are responsible for the full cost.

Croatia

Reintroduces mandatory basic military training⁵

On March 9th 2026, Croatia reintroduced 2 months of basic military training for male Croatian citizens aged 18-27.

It may be possible for training to be postponed until age 30, however, all eligible individuals will be called for training during the calendar year in which they turn 19. Military service remains voluntary for women.

Employed conscripts are temporarily relieved of work duties while attending training, and their jobs are protected. Employers may not terminate employees because of military training. Employers will not be required to pay salaries during this period of training with conscripts receiving state-funded allowance instead.

Employers must notify the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute when an employee begins and completes their military training. Time spent in military service will be recorded in employment histories and counted towards pension calculations.

Türkiye

Expands parental rights^{6, 7}

Effective from 1st May 2026, significant changes were made to Law No. 7578 on Amendments to the Social Services Law and Certain Other Laws (Law No. 7578).

Key changes include:

Maternity Leave

The postnatal maternity leave period for female employees has been increased from 8 weeks to 16 weeks, which means the total maternity leave period will be 24 weeks. In the case of multiple births, the total leave period will be increased to 26 weeks.
The period of payment for temporary incapacity allowance paid by the Social Security Institution (SSI) has also been updated to cover from 8 weeks before birth and 16 weeks after birth.
The period of pre-birth leave that can be transferred to the post-birth period due to health reasons has also been reduced. Previously, employees whose health condition allowed them to continue working could transfer up to 3 weeks of pre-birth leave, this has now been reduced to 2 weeks.

Paternity Leave

Male employees whose spouse gives birth will be entitled to 10 days’ paternity leave, increasing from the previous entitlement of 5 days.

Foster Care Leave

Employees who become foster carers are now entitled to 10 days of unpaid leave that can be taken from the day the child is placed in their care.

Uzbekistan

Shifts leave payments to state social insurance⁸

From January 2026, the State Social Insurance Fund (SSIF) have taken over payments for specific leave of absences from employers.

Maternity benefits transitioned to the SSIF from 1st January 2026. From July 2026 the payments for temporary disability (sick leave) will also transition to the SSIF.

Minimum wage increases from 1st May 2026

Luxembourg

From 1st May 2026, the gross minimum social wage rate increased to EUR 3,325.59 per month, up from EUR 3,244.48 per month.⁹

NFP’s guide to international benefits

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Our team of experienced international employee benefits consultants have written this guide to help you:

Achieve consistency in your international benefits strategy
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This insights article is not intended to address any specific situation or to provide legal, regulatory, financial, or other advice. While care has been taken in the production of this article, NFP does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of the article or any part of it and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. Any recipient shall be responsible for the use to which it puts this article. This article has been compiled using information available to us up to its date of publication.

NFP contributors

Emma Bryant
International Technical Specialist, Employee Benefits

References