The Legal 500

The latest amendment of the Austrian Act on Equal Treatment (Gleichbehandlungsgesetz – GlBG; in force since 1 March 2011) sets into force a provision requiring the declaration of minimum remuneration in job postings. As of 1 January 2012, any infringement of this provision may lead to sanctions.

Today's Belgian Official Journal contains the Act confirming that all companies ("technical operating unit") that usually employ in 2011 on average at least 100 employees (including certain categories placed on the same footing like for example temporary employees), have the obligation to organize social elections for the establishment (or renewal) of a works council (as well as obviously for a committee for prevention and protection at work for which the ceiling remains at a minimum of 50 employees).

Under the provisions of Polish law employers are entitled to obtain their employees’ per-sonal data. Art. 22¹ of the Polish Labour Code specifies the scope of this data, but ex-cludes photos of employees. It’s not unusual, however, for employers to acquire an em-ployee’s photo during the recruitment process and to then post it on the company web-site.

Facts

Transnational provisions currently allowing Austria to protect its employment market from nationals of countries which joined the EU in 2004 will partly expire at the end of April 2011.

In view of the increase in unemployment, Ukraine also will amend its rules and regulations regarding the issuance of work permits for foreigners. These new rules will affect those Austrian expats currently working in Ukraine (e.g. managing directors, members of supervisory boards and other skilled labour) who wish to extend their work permits, as well as those who intend to work in Ukraine once the respective law has been enacted.