Japan
Introduces flexible working for parents with young children
Japan has enacted changes to labour laws that will become effective from April 2025.
The Childcare and Nursing Care Leave law changes mandated regulations such as:
- Employers must provide at least two flexible working options when employees have preschool aged children (aged 3 and above). These options can be shorter working hours, staggered schedules, or remote working.
- Employers must also try to accommodate remote working for parents with children aged under 3.
- Parents with children are exempt from overtime until their children reach elementary school age.
- Childcare leave for sick or injured children has also been expanded. This covers up to when a child reaches third grade and can now be used for events like nursery school ceremonies and during school closures due to infectious diseases.
Source: hrmasia.com
Indonesia
Expands family leave
Effective from June 2024, The Indonesian House of Representatives passed a draft bill to enhance the maternity and paternity leave employees are entitled to.
The Welfare for the First One Thousand Days of Life (Mother and Child Bill) provides protection to the mother and child for the first 1,000 days of a child’s life from conception. The key highlights are:
- Mothers are entitled to 3 months’ maternity leave after childbirth, which is extended by 3 months where there are medically certified conditions. This is increasing from the current 1.5 months provided after delivery.
- Maternity leave will be paid at full pay for the first 4 months, and then reduces to 75% for months 5 and 6. In the event of a miscarriage, full pay is provided.
- Paternity leave is to remain at 2 days, however there is now an option to extend this by 3 days with agreement from the company.
The current law No. 13 of 203 on Manpower (Manpower Law) will still apply, as long as it doesn’t conflict with the new bill that has been introduced.
Source: herbertsmithfreehills.com
India
Increases tax exemption for the National Pension Scheme (NPS)
Effective Effective from 1st April 2024 but only announced in the budget in July, the NPS tax-exempt limit has increased.
For the 2024-25 financial year, employees who have opted into the new tax regime can now receive an increased employer contribution of 14%, up from the current 10% offering. This contribution is calculated on the basic salary
Source: indiabudget.gov.in
South Korea
Changes National Pension Service thresholds
Effective from 1st July 2024, the lower and upper thresholds will change.
The National Pension Service’s lower threshold has increased to KRW 390,000 and the upper threshold is now KRW 6,170,000 per month.
These thresholds apply to the employee and employer contributions and will remain in place until June 2025.
Source: mohw.go.kr
Oman
Introduces maternity leave insurance
Effective from 19th July 2024, private sector employers who are subject to Oman’s labour law provisions must pay maternity leave insurance contributions.
The contribution will be processed into a social fund at a rate of 1% of total salary without any salary ceilings or minimum thresholds.
Maternity leave benefits are available to Omani and non-Omani workers employed under various types of employment contracts, including temporary contracts, training contracts, and retired workers. It also applies to public sector employees.
Source: omannews.gov.om
Belgium
Extends employment protections to infertility treatment
A recent legislative amendment has been introduced to add protection against dismissal for employees undergoing fertility treatment.
Employers are now prohibited to dismiss employees who are absent from work due to infertility treatment or due to a programme of medically assisted reproduction.
The protection applies for two months, and this commences from when the employer is informed of the absence through a medical certificate.
Employers who do not adhere to this protection will be required to pay a penalty of six months’ gross salary.
Source: iuslaboris.com
Minimum wage increases from July 2024
Nigeria
Effective from 29th July 2024, The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 took effect and has increased the monthly minimum wage rate for all workers in Nigeria to NGN 70,000, an increase from NGN 30,000.
The act has also reduced the review period for the minimum wage rate from five years to three years, meaning that the current wage rate will expire in 2027.
Source: placng.org
Minimum wage increases from August 2024
Myanmar
Effective from 1st August 2024, the minimum wage for employers with more than 10 employees is now MMK 6,800 per day, with overtime being calculated on MMK 4,800. This increase only applies to those who work an eight hour working day.
Private sector employees are entitled to a new additional daily allowance of MMK 1,000, in addition to the MMK 1,000 per day that was introduced in 2023.
Source: gnlm.com.mm
Fiji
Effective from 1st August 2024, the national minimum wage increased to FJD 4.50 per hour, which will increase again to FJD 5.00 per hour from 1st April 2025.
Source: fijitimes.com
Minimum wage increases from September 2024
Angola
Effective from 15th September 2024, the national minimum wage rates will increase to AOA 70,000, with a second minimum wage increase to AOA 100,000 set for 15th September 2025.
Source: angolex.com
Minimum wage increases from October 2024
St Lucia
Effective from 1st October 2024, Saint Lucia’s monthly minimum wage will increase to XCD 1,130. The daily and hourly wage rates will be XCD 52 and XCD 6.52 respectively.
The minimum wage was introduced for the first time on 1st August 2024 and provides a transition period for employers until 1st October 2024.
Source: govt.lc
Japan
Effective from 1st October 2024, the new national weighted average hourly wage will be JPY 1,055, up from JPY 1,004.
Source: mhlw.go.jp
Minimum wage increases from November 2024
British Virgin Islands
Effective from 30th November 2024, the hourly minimum wage will increase to $8.50 — up from $6.00.
Source: bvi.gov.vg
Minimum wage increases from January 2025
Namibia
Effective from 1st January 2025, a national minimum wage will be introduced for the first time.
The minimum hourly wage will be NAD 18, which will be phased in for domestic and agricultural workers from 2025 to 2027.
The wage rate for domestic workers will be NAD 12 in 2025, NAD 15 in 2026, and NAD 18 in 2027.
For agricultural workers, the rate will be NAD 10 in 2025, NAD 14 in 2026, and NAD 18 in 2027.
Source: namiblii.org
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