Global benefits insights: September 2025
A summary of the latest employee benefits changes from around the world | 6 minute read
Belgium
Introduces parental leave for foster carers.1
Effective from 1st July 2025, employees will be able to request foster leave from their employers.
When a child is placed with a foster carer for at least 6 months, the foster carer is entitled to the same parental leave as birth parents. The current offering for parental leave is a maximum of 4 months. This leave applies to both parents if both are registered as foster carers of the child.
Indonesia
Issues reforms to private health insurance2, 3
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has issued Circular Letter No. 7 of 2025, which introduces changes to private health insurance plans beginning 1st January 2026.
The main changes include:
- Introduction of a minimum 10% co-payment of total claims amount.
- Coverage limit for out-patient care is set at up to IDR 300,000
- Coverage limit for in-patient care is set at up to IDR 3,000,000
Higher co-payments may be set if agreed upon by the insurer and policyholder.
Denmark
Extends parental leave4
The Danish parliament has passed new legislation amending the Parental Leave Act.
Commencing 1st January 2026, employees whose newborns require hospitalisation, including those receiving home-based medical care through a “home-early stay”, will be eligible for up to 12 months of leave. Additionally, provisions for parental leave will be further extended.
Colombia
Continues to reduce the cap on working hours5
Law 2101 of 2021 established a gradual decrease in working hours, which will continue through 2025 and 2026.
From 15th July 2025, working time is capped at 8 hours per day or 44 hours per week without reduction in salary or employment rights. Starting July 2026, the workweek will be reduced to 42 hours across 5 or 6 days.
Undergoes labour law reform6
Beginning in July 2025, Colombia will implement Labour Law 2466, which introduces significant changes, including:
- Fixed-term contracts are capped at 4 years, and most employment will be on open-ended contracts.
- Employees are entitled to paid leave for urgent or specialist medical appointments.
- From 25th December 2025, night work will be defined as working between 7pm to 6am.
- From 1st July 2026, companies with 100 or more employees must hire two people with disabilities for every 100 employees — up to 500 employees. After 500 employees, the quota is one disabled person for every 100 employees.
Taiwan
Introduce four new public holidays7
Approved in May 2025, the following public holidays will begin in September 2025:
- 28th September - Confucius’ birthday
- 25th October - the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou
- 25th December - Constitution Day
- Little New Year — the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve.
From 1st May 2026, Labour Day will also be a public holiday for all workers and industries.
Isle of Man
Introduces new employment rights8
From 1st November 2025, new rules cover shared parental leave and parental bereavement leave.
These changes are the final amendments to the Employment Amendment Act 2024:
- Shared Parental Leave: Employees can share up to 50 weeks of leave during the first year after birth, in addition to maternity and paternity leave.
- Parental Bereavement Leave: Employees are entitled to an additional 2 weeks off following the death of a child under 18 or a stillbirth, which may be taken consecutively or split within a year. Parents experiencing a miscarriage receive one week of leave.
An allowance will be payable during leave and eligibility criteria will apply.
Lithuania
Changes taxation position on employee benefits9, 10
Effective from 1st January 2026, the following taxation changes will apply:
- Health insurance premiums exceeding EUR 350.00 will be fully taxed as income.
- A 10% tax rate will apply to non-life insurance premiums (military tax).
The Netherlands
Increases sickness and disability insurance premiums11
Effective from 1st January 2026, the premiums payable for disability insurance (WGA) and Sickness Benefits (ZW) will increase.
As more people claim long-term benefits due to increased rates of illness, WGA insurance costs will rise by 0.13% to approximately 0.96%.
The average premium for the Sickness Benefits Act will rise to 0.56%, reflecting an increase of 0.06%. Employers may choose between self-insurance or obtaining coverage through the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). However, any decision to commence or terminate self-insurance must be made by 1st October 2025.
Spain
Introduces changes to birth and childcare leave12
The changes came into effect on 31st July 2025 and will apply to births from 1st January 2026 onwards.
According to Royal Decree 9/2025, birth leave - including maternity, paternity, and adoption leave - will be extended from 16 weeks to 19 weeks for both parents. For single parents, the entitlement will increase to 32 weeks.
Additionally, leave will be prolonged by 2 weeks in cases of multiple births or adoptions, as well as for the birth or adoption of a child with a disability.
Leave includes 6 mandatory weeks post-birth or placement. An additional 11 weeks (22 for single parents) can be used until the child's first birthday, and the final 2 weeks (4 for single parents) are available until age 8.
Slovenia
Implements Long Term Care contribution13
As of 1st July 2025, the Long-Term Care Act (ZDOsk-1) will introduce a new mandatory contribution.
Employers and employees each contribute 1% of the employee’s gross salary to the fund managed by the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia. This applies to all employees in the mandatory health system.
Thailand
Postpones Employee Welfare Fund implementation14
The Employee Welfare Fund, originally set to start on 1st October 2025, has been postponed to 1st October 2026.
The Labor Protection Act requires employers with 10 or more employees to participate in the fund. Contribution rates are set at 0.25% for both employees and employers, and are scheduled to increase to 0.5% by October 2030.
Italy
Expands leave for employees with disabling or chronic oncological diseases15
Beginning in August 2025, with several provisions taking effect on 1st January 2026, employees diagnosed with disabling or chronic oncological conditions will be entitled to additional unpaid leave and specific employment protections.
Highlights of the new law include:
- Up to 24 months of unpaid leave with guaranteed job protection, taken either at once or in multiple periods.
- 10 additional paid hours annually for medical exams and treatment (applies from 1st January 2026).
Puerto Rico
Strengthens lactation and breastfeeding rights16
Effective from 1st August, Puerto Rico enacted Act no 87-2025 (Puerto Rico Lactation Code).
The revised law provides that employees must receive a minimum of one hour of paid leave per day to breastfeed or express breastmilk for at least 12 months after childbirth.
Employers are required to provide a private, ventilated space with a lockable door, electrical outlets, a chair, a water source for cleaning lactation equipment, and refrigeration solely for breastmilk storage. Bathrooms cannot serve as dedicated lactation spaces or be used for washing lactation equipment.
NFP’s guide to international benefits
Whether you’re a new start-up, a growing enterprise or an established international organisation, operating globally comes with its own set of unique challenges; from navigating legal and tax legislation to understanding local cultures, creating compliant and competitive benefits packages can be complex.
Our team of experienced international employee benefits consultants have written this guide to help you:
- Achieve consistency in your international benefits strategy
- Identify benefits to implement in each of your locations
- Choose the right international benefits providers
- Manage your international benefits efficiently
- Monitor your strategy’s success
Here to help...
If you’d like to explore how these legislation changes could affect your organisation, and what practical steps you can take to protect and support your people - speak to us today.
General disclaimer
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
2025 Copyright | All Right Reserved