United Arab Emirates introduces unemployment insurance
Agreed earlier this year, but effective from January 2023, employees must take out unemployment insurance.
The new mandatory unemployment insurance plan needs to be established by all government and public sector employees. The coverage will provide 60% of salary, capped depending on the employee’s earnings. Workers with a basic salary of up to AED 16,000 per annum would be entitled to claim AED 10,000 and employees who earn more than AED 16,000 in basic salary would have a capped benefit at AED 20,000. The benefit is payable for up to 3 months.
The premium will either be AED 60 per annum for the lower earners or AED 120 for those in the higher earning category.
There are nine providers that can offer the coverage - Dubai Insurance Company, Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company, Oman Insurance Company, Al Ain Ahlia Insurance Company, Emirates Insurance Company, Orient Insurance, Abu Dhabi National Takaful Company, National General Insurance Company and Orient UNB Takaful Company. A plan will need to be secured with one of the above providers. The employees can enhance coverage if they wish, at an additional premium.
There isn’t an onus on the employer to contribute towards the cost of the plan or provide any form of group insurance. The employee must secure their own coverage.
Source: bayut.com
Belgium increases birth leave from January 2023
All fathers and co-parents will be entitled to an increase in birth leave to 20 days.
Increasing from the current 15 days provided, the new provision allows 20 days, which can be taken as 20 full days or 40 half days. Whilst an employee is on paternity leave the employer will still pay the first three days of salary, with the remaining period being paid via a state allowance of 82% of average capped salary. This leave will still need to be taken within four months of birth.
Source: vow.be
Employers in Mexico are required to increase vacation allowance
From 1 January 2023, employees in Mexico will be entitled to more paid vacation days based on their length of service.
Employees with one full year of service will be entitled to 12 vacation days (up from six days) and leave accrual will increase by two days for each year of service until the employee has worked for five years. After that, mandatory leave will increase by two days for each additional five-year period of service.
Source: lexology.com / natlawreview.com
Health insurers to provide coverage for influenza in Puerto Rico
Due to the sharp increases in influenza cases in Puerto Rico, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (Oficina del Comisionado de Seguros - OCS) issued Normative Letter No. CN-2022-325-D stipulating health insurers in Puerto Rico must provide coverage for treatment, medication, and diagnostic tests for influenza.
This letter also states that insurers are required to provide coverage for the influenza vaccine without the requirement of co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance for the insured member to help combat the increasing influenza cases predicted between now and March 2023.
Source: CN-2022-325-D.pdf (pr.gov) / OCS - Ruling Letters (pr.gov)
Indonesia announces insurance requirements to protect short-term foreign workers
On November 8, 2022, the Government of Indonesia introduced health insurance policy requirements to protect short-term foreign workers’ rights.
The policy requirements apply to employees working on a short-term basis in Indonesia for a period of six months or less. Employers are required to obtain ASTAKA (Asuransi Tenaga Kerja Asing) insurance for short-term foreign workers. The premium schedule for short-term foreign workers is:
- Foreign employees working for one month: IDR762,000 ($52.80).
- Foreign employees working for three months: IDR1,715,000 ($118.80).
- Foreign employees working for six months: IDR2,477,000 ($171.60).
Source: envoyglobal.com
Finland announces updated pension and unemployment insurance contributions rates
The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has announced the pension insurance and unemployment insurance contributions rates that apply from January 2023.
The average employee pension insurance contribution rate for 2023 will be 24.84% of salary. The employer portion of this will be an average of 17.4%, and the employee contribution will be 7.15% for employees aged under 53, and 8.65% for employees who are aged 53 to 65.
For unemployment insurance, employees will be expected to contribute 1.5% of salary. The employer’s contribution will be 0.52% of gross salaries, up to EUR 2 million ($2.3 million), for anything above this amount the contribution rate will be 2.06%.
Source: orbitax.com
Canada introduces paid sick leave to regulated employees
From 1 December 2022, federally regulated employers within Canadian provinces that fall under Part III of the federal Canada Labour Code will legally be required to provide their employees with up to 10 paid sick leave days per calendar year.
From 31 December 2022, employees will earn three paid sick leave days upon completing 30 days of continuous employment. Employees will then earn one additional day of paid sick leave at the beginning of each month, up to a maximum of 10 days. Paid sick leave applies to all employees employed by federally regulated employers, to include part-time, casual and short-term contract employees.
If sick leave is not used, it can be carried over to the following year, however it will be counted towards the maximum accrual of 10 days. Employers may also require an employee who has taken a medical leave of absence of five consecutive days or longer to provide a medical note from their doctor.
Most employers do already provide paid sick leave - if the contractual sick leave is in excess of the 10 days, the contractual amount would still apply.
Source: Minister O’Regan - canada.ca / 10 days of paid sick leave - canada.ca
Reminders
GST in Singapore increasing to 8% from 7%
Qatar Social Security Law comes into effect from January 2023
Sweden Price Base Amount increases from January 2023
Malaysia family leave increases for maternity and paternity leave from January 2023