CMS On Your Radar - Key employment issues worldwide

By CMS

August 11, 2026

In this edition of On your radar, several countries highlight the development of family-friendly leave. France has introduced a new entitlement to additional birth leave for parents, while Mauritius is proposing a significant extension of maternity leave to twelve months and paid paternity leave to six weeks. Türkiye has also expanded maternity and paternity leave rights, and Norway discusses an official report proposing reforms to parental leave and other family-friendly arrangements as part of a broader strategy to address declining birth rates.

Employment status, atypical working arrangements and the platform economy remain key areas of focus. Sweden and the Czech Republic are moving forward with the implementation of the EU Platform Work Directive, while Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court has reaffirmed the importance of the reality of the working relationship by reclassifying a consulting arrangement as employment. In Brazil, uncertainty continues as the Supreme Federal Court reviews independent contractor and “PJ” arrangements, while Germany discusses pending reforms to the pension insurance status determination procedure that could affect freelancers and the organisations that engage them.

Workforce mobility is another recurring theme in this edition. Hungary has suspended the acceptance of new guest worker residence permit applications, Croatia has introduced stricter requirements for residence and work permits, and South Africa is considering legislation that would establish a new framework for regulating foreign nationals and their employment.

Finally, following the 7 June 2026 deadline for transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, many EU jurisdictions are focusing on the development and implementation of national pay transparency frameworks, making this an important area for employers to monitor in the months ahead.

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