Czech Republic
Extends self-scheduling working time
Effective from 1st January 2025, all employees will be given the right to request self-scheduling. An agreement must be met by the employee and employer with terms in writing.
The agreement must set clear limits on working hours, details of labour and any applicable collective agreements must be taken into consideration.
Any agreement must apply for a minimum of 26 weeks (can be extended to 52 weeks, depending on the applicable collective agreement).
The self-scheduling can be terminated with 15 days’ notice.
Source: lexology.com
Brazil
Introduces an additional public holiday
Effective from 2024, an additional public holiday will be added taking the total public holidays to 10 per annum. In December 2023, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed into law a bill making the National Day of Zumbi and the Black Consciousness an official holiday observed nationwide.
The 20th of November will now be recognised as national public holiday across Brazil.
Source: planalto.gov.br
Spain
Introduces climate leave
Following the recent floods in Valencia, the Spanish government have introduced proposals relating to climate change and natural disasters.
Effective from the 28th November 2024, Ministers approved regulatory changes that specify employees have the right to up to 4 days paid leave if they are unable to access their job due to natural disasters, catastrophic or adverse weather conditions once travel prohibition or limitation is put into place by the relevant authorities.
Collective agreements will be amended to accommodate this new requirement.
Source: prensa.mites.gob.es
Greece
Introduces mandatory property insurance
Law 5116/2024 (Government Gazette A' 100) Private insurance against natural disasters, state assistance and protection, housing assistance, provisions for the Fire Brigade and other provisions is currently effective.
Currently all corporate entities with an annual gross revenue exceeding €2,000,000 during the previous annual period, are obliged to take out property insurance against forest fire, flood and earthquake.
Effective from 1st April 2025, the earnings limit will be reduced to €500,000. All corporate entities that fall within the requirements are now exempt from any government subsidies following forest fire, flood and earthquake.
Non-compliance with this new mandatory requirement could lead to a €10,000 fine.
Source: civilprotection.gov.gr
Austria
Amends mileage and travel allowance reimbursement limits
The Progression Compensation Act 2025 (Progressionsabgeltungsgesetz 2025, PrAG 2025) was published in the Official Gazette on 9th October 2024.
The amendments will become applicable from 1st January 2025.
The amended travel allowances will be:
- Mileage rates will increase to €0.50 for cars and motorcycles. The allowance for each additional passenger will also rise from €0.05 to €0.15 per kilometre.
- The standard daily allowance for domestic business travel will rise from €26.40 to €30.00 per day.
- Flat-rate overnight allowance will increase from €15.00 to €17.00 per day.
Source: forvismazars.com
Germany
Increases social security thresholds for 2025
Applicable from 1st January 2025, the social security threshold for pension, unemployment and health insurance contributions will increase.1
The pension and unemployment threshold will increase from €90,600 to €96,600; this will also be the first time both the east and west of Germany will have the same threshold cap.
The healthcare insurance cap will also increase from €62,100 to €66,150.2
Sources: tpc-benefits.de1 / news.bloombergtax.com2
Poland
Introduces new law to extend maternity leave for parents of premature babies
On 27th November this year, the Sejm approved a law extending leave for parents of premature or those hospitalised following birth.
The amount of leave will vary depending on when the baby is born or the period of hospitalisation:
- The parents of children born before the end of the 28th week of pregnancy or with a birth weight less than 1kg can claim up to an additional 15 weeks of leave after the birth. The actual amount claimable depend on the length of the child's hospitalisation i.e. one week of additional maternity leave can be claimed for each week of the child's hospitalisation.
- For parents of a baby born after the 28th but before the 36th week of pregnancy and with a birth weight of more than 1kg, the additional leave will amount is a maximum of up to 8 weeks. Again, the rule of one week's leave for one week of hospitalisation will apply.
- Parents whose baby was born after the 37th week of pregnancy but will require hospitalisation from the 5th day until the 8th week after the birth, are eligible for the leave of up to a maximum of 8 weeks. To be eligible, the baby must be admitted to hospital for at least 2 consecutive days between the 5th and 28th day after the birth.
Source: gov.pl
Sweden
Announces an increase to the income and price base amounts
From January 2025, both the Income Base Amount (IBA) and the Price Base Amount (PBA) will increase.
The IBA will increase from SEK 76,200 to SEK 80,600.
The PBA will increase from SEK 57,300 to SEK 58,800.
These changes will impact the national pension contributions as well as any occupational pension contributions.
Source: pensionsmyndigheten.se
Minimum wage increases from November 2024
France
Effective from 1st November the monthly minimum wage increased from €1,766.92 to €1,802,26. This means the minimum hourly wage increases from €11.65 to €11.88.
Source: legifrance.gouv.fr
Minimum wage increases from January 2025
Hungary
The monthly minimum wage will increase to HUF 290,800 from 1st January 2025, an increase up from HUF 266,800. Additional increases have been announced in 2026 to HUF 328,000 and in 2027 to HUF 374,600.
Source: kormany.hu
Latvia
Effective from January 2025, the monthly minimum wage will increase from €700 to €740.
Source: lm.gov.lv
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