Human Rights Britain’s record surge in modern slavery referrals puts business under scrutiny Record referrals expose cracks in workplace oversight and put employers on legal notice Future of Work Gowling WLG: Why are Employers of Record so topical and do they work? From France to Germany, Canada to the UK – the EoR model operates under very different rules, raising questions about who really employs the worker Community Oppenhoff taps Bird & Bird partner to grow labour practice Martin Nebeling joins German firm’s Cologne team after more than two decades at international firm Unions Italy doubles down on collective bargaining to safeguard fair pay Unions will bear greater responsibility for timely and effective wage negotiations under new law Sick Leave UK firms join Labour’s drive to tackle long-term ill health at work Google, Sainsbury’s, and British Airways sign up to help staff with chronic conditions Politics Back to work: Is Japan’s new leader about to revive old ideas? Sanae Takaichi channels Thatcher-style conservatism, pledging to revive the economy while hinting at longer working hours and stricter immigration controls Disputes The “everyone has issues” approach to health not only insensitive, it is unlawful NHS coder wins disability discrimination claim after being criticised for not “compartmentalising” non-work issues Labour Reforms Poland’s broadened service rules expand worker rights but burden bosses New law recognises self-employment and civil contracts for tenure-based benefits, but firms must brace for heavy HR workloads and rising compliance costs Health & Safety India’s politicians aim to balance women’s safety with nightshift needs States are rethinking outdated restrictions and seeking to empower women while strengthening workplace protections Events Spring European Employment Summit International Employment Lawyer is delighted to announce that the third Spring European Employment Summit will take place on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th of March at Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam.The event will bring together senior in-house and private practice lawyers to explore the challenges and opportunities facing multinational employers and their counsel across the region. Research IEL Monitor IEL Monitor is a forward-looking, fully searchable database of upcoming and prospective employment and labour legislation from around the world, designed to alert in-house teams of new laws and regulations, and support timely compliance. Labour Reforms Modernising Argentina’s work rules in a changing political landscape Politics Ethics on the edge: Trump-era politics reshape UK corporate behaviour Crime Security guard’s sticky fingers prosecution debated in South Korea