Working Time Hong Kong offers more protection to casual workforce Irregular shift patterns will no longer disqualify part-time workers from statutory benefits Community Seyfarth unveils new partners, adds white-collar experts California offices see most promotions while New York welcomes new trial and investigations team Mental Health Could pharmacy’s wellbeing initiative tackle Sweden’s loneliness epidemic? Pilot mental health scheme offers struggling employees paid time off to check in with friends and family Disputes Ex-Ubisoft exec sues over “disguised dismissal” amid restructuring Video game publisher trying to avoid paying severance, maintain non-compete, Canadian lawsuit claims Unions Baker McKenzie: Time for collective action? Industrial relations changes under the UK’s Employment Rights Act New legislation requires employers to be more proactive in building relationships with trade unions, while also easing rules around strike action Labour Reforms B&E: Can Chile modernise its labour market regulation? New president-elect promises flexibility and productivity – but success hinges on institutional reform and careful implementation Workplace Violence Fatal shooting at Amazon warehouse in Texas raises safety questions Warning signs may have been missed, according to law firm hired by the victim’s family Platform Workers Uber Eats ditches self-employment model after Spanish government pressure Riders can now be full employees or work for “partner fleets”, Californian tech giant confirms Platform Workers Indian government ends platforms’ “unsafe” ten-minute delivery pledge Road safety tops gig workers’ concerns when faced with unrealistic delivery targets 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