Browse through brief employment and labor law updates from around the globe. Contact a Littler attorney for more information or view our global locations.

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Bill Seeks to Facilitate Hiring Foreigners

Proposed Bill or Initiative

Authors: Miłosz Awedyk, Partner, and Jakub Grabowski, Associate – PCS | Littler

Ministry of Family and Social Policy has presented a bill to amend the current legislation regarding employment of foreigners. Currently it is a formalized, bureaucratic process where everything needs to be done on paper. Proposed legislation provides that the whole process would be handled electronically, using a special government platform. Each candidate will gain personal access to the platform to make communication with the authority more fluent.

The so-called “Labor Market Test” (obligating employers to seek Polish candidates first) would be abolished. This will allow employers to skip the lengthy procedure of checking the local labor market conditions.

Bill Seeks to Amend the Collective Disputes Law

Proposed Bill or Initiative

Authors: Miłosz Awedyk, Partner, and Jakub Grabowski, Associate – PCS | Littler

The government has presented a bill to repeal the current Collective Disputes Act of 1991 and replace it with new legislation. The bill seeks to strengthen consensual methods of settling disputes and coordinating the actions of all trade unions that are active in a given workplace.

If approved, the new law would be beneficial to the employers as it will prevent situations where one trade union is singlehandedly blocking the agreement. Moreover, the right to strike will be regulated as a last resort measure. It is explicitly against the proposed law to strike without first negotiating with the employer.

COVID-19 State of Emergency Ending on October 30, 2022

Upcoming Deadline for Legal Compliance

Authors: Miłosz Awedyk, Partner, and Jakub Grabowski, Associate – PCS | Littler

After almost three years, the state of emergency resulting from COVID-19 seems to be a thing of the past. Although the government has extended the state of emergency until October 30, 2022, it is likely that there will not be any additional extensions. If the state of emergency ceases, employers likely will need to revise their internal by-laws and regulations related to COVID-19, including arrangements for work from home, working time arrangements, severance pay limits, noncompetition termination, among others.