The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In Europe, Middle East and Africa, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for seven consecutive years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.
Click here for more details
Malta > Legal Developments > Employment > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings
Press releases and law firm thought leadership
This page is dedicated to keeping readers informed of the latest news and thought leadership articles from law firms across the globe.
If your firm wishes to publish press releases or articles, please contact Shehab Khurshid on +44 (0) 207 396 5689 or shehab.khurshid@legalease.co.uk
Search News and Articles
Amendments made to the Qualifying Employment in Innovation and Creativity (Personal Tax) Rules
The Qualifying Employment in Innovation and Creativity (Personal Tax) Rules (âthe Rulesâ), provide for a beneficial tax treatment for individuals holding an eligible office who earn income from a qualifying contract of employment as defined within the legislation. Individuals eligible under these Rules will benefit from a 15% flat tax rate on their employment income derived in respect of work or duties carried out in Malta.
Data Protection Implications of a Bring Your Own Device Policy
BYOD is an acronym for âbring your own deviceâ and refers to a policy which an employer may implement to regulate the use of personal devices for work-related purposes at the workplace. Such a policy would regulate how employees access privileged company information and software on their personal devices, which devices would be connected to the corporate network. An effective BYOD policy is essentially a set of rules which establishes the level of support which an IT department may provide to employee-owned devices used in the workplace, while safeguarding both employersâ and employeesâ interests.
Up for a gig? The risks of worker misclassification in the âgig economyâ
Author: Dr. Ann Bubeja
Several âgig economyâ business models have sprung up in Malta over the past few years. Cab-hailing services, outsourcing platforms and courier delivery services, to name a few, have adopted the model of engaging with independent contractors for engagements, rather than undertake the orthodox, and admittedly more bureaucratic, route of hiring employees to perform those tasks.
Any undertaking looking to establish operations in Malta should, however, be careful about designing a business model around âindependent contractorâ arrangements before taking full account of the Maltese law rules governing the correct classification of such workers as employees, regardless of their contractual designation.
In this piece we will consider the critical question: when is a freelancer treated as an employee in terms of Maltese law?
Increase in Annual Leave and Minimum Wage
News Update: Increase in Annual Leave and Minimum Wage
Suspended Legal Notices Come into Force with Some Amendments
Employment Law Update
Jurisdiction of the Industrial Tribunal in the Case of Fixed Term Contracts Successfully Challenged
Employment Law Update
Beware of âPositive Discriminatoryâ Measures
Court of Justice of the European Union slams a provision of Austrian law.
EP Approves New Draft Law for Union Whistleblowers
On the 16th April 2019 the European Parliament approved new rules on the disclosure of information regarding illegal, fraudulent or harmful activities acquired in a work-related context
Can an Employee Appeal from the Amount of Compensation Established by the Industrial Tribunal?
Wide interpretation given by the Court of Appeal to the right of appeal on a point of law in unfair dismissal cases
Termination of Employment for Good and Sufficient Cause
In the case of Joseph Saliba vs Imperial Hotel (Goldvest Company Limited), the facts of the case revolved around Mr Saliba who was employed in various positions within the Hotel Imperial in Sliema until such hotel was acquired by Goldvest Company.
Pregnant Employee Dismissed During Probation
Giada Mifsud Calabro has been awarded damages amounting to âŹ10,846 by the Industrial Tribunal after the Tribunal decided in favour of the employee in a case against Union Print Company Limited.
Summary Dismissal of Employees
The Court of Appeal overturned a decision of the Industrial Tribunal given in the names of Marco Pisani vs The AV Warehouse and stated that summary dismissal of an employee must be the exception and not the rule.
Performance Bonus paid out more than 5 years later
The Court of Appeal in its Inferior Jurisdiction overturned a decision taken by the Court of Magistrates and ordered the payment of a performance bonus owed by the Transport Authority in Malta to one of its employees.
New Directive on Work-Life Balance
A new Directive, known as the Work Life Balance Directive, has been proposed to repeal the existing Framework Agreement on Parental Leave, made binding by Council Directive 2010/18/EU.
Malta Employment Law Updates - January 2019
In August of 2018, four Legal Notices were published making amendments to annual leave entitlement, itemised payslips, transfer of business legislation and temporary agency workers. These legal notices were suspended shortly after publication with further legal notices being published in December of 2018 to amend some of the suspended provisions, and bring into force.
Protecting Business Interests Following Termination of Employees
In todayâs world, one of a businessesâ most valuable asset would be its know-how, client base and trade secrets, all of which are becoming increasingly more difficult to protect with the rate of employment turnover of 2018.
Maltese Court of Appeal: Employee Email Addresses Constitute Personal Data
On the 5th of October 2018, in the case of Doreen Camilleri vs Commissioner for Information and Data Protection, the Court of Appeal reversed a decision previously taken by the Appeals Tribunal for Information and Data Protection and held that an employeeâs email address constituted personal data.
Court of Appeal Criticises Industrial Tribunal in a Transfer of Business Case
Recent decision of the Court of Appeal regarding transfer of business.
Of Annual Leave, Payslips, Transfers of Business and Temporary Agency Workers
Four employment-related Legal Notices came into force on the 10th of August 2018.
Employees Beware of What You Post on Facebook!
The Italian highest court decides termination of employment was lawful after employee posts disparaging remarks about her employer.
Harsher Penalties Introduced for Harassment and Victimisation at Work
Amendments to the Employment and Industrial Relations Act introduced by Act XIII of 2018.
Employer files counter-claim against ex-employee seeking damages
Court decides on issue of jurisdiction.
Does âon-callâ time qualify as âworking time?
In a recent judgment, Ville de Nivelles v Rudy Matzak,decided on the 21st February 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union tackled the issue of 'working time' in terms of Directive 2003/88/EC concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time, and provided guidance as to when being on-call must be considered as 'working time' within the meaning of the Directive, even if the worker is at home.
Qualifying Employment in Aviation (Personal Tax) Rules
Legal Notice 378 of 2017 has amended the Qualifying Employment in Aviation (Personal Tax) Rules which were originally promulgated in 2016, and amended by means of Legal Notice 1 of 2017.
Under the Qualifying Employment in Aviation (Personal Tax) Rules, which have come into force specifically under the auspices of the Maltese Income Tax Act, expatriates holding an eligible employment and office under a qualifying contract of employment in the aviation industry in Malta may opt to benefit from a reduced flat rate of tax of 15% on their employment income derived in respect of work or duties carried out in Malta. Eligible employment and office under the Rules include the following:
Award to Employee Following Transfer of Undertaking
The transfer of undertakings takes place when a business or undertaking is taken over by another Company (new employer) from the current Company (old employer). Any employee in employment, with the old employer, shall be deemed to be in employment by the new employer who shall also take on all the rights and obligations which the employee had prior to the transfer of the undertaking.
Sexual Harassment and Discrimination at the Forefront of the News
Are employers sufficiently aware of their obligations?
The importance (or otherwise) of disciplinary proceedings in dismissal cases
Decision by the Court of Appeal stresses the importance of examining substance over form.
Employment and Industiral Relations Law
GVZH Advocates provides an array of employment-related solutions including contracts of service, dismissals, redundancies, transfers of employees between undertakings, equal treatment on the workplace and the implementation of appropriate systems and procedures for clientsâ human resources.
Protection of Employment for those on a minimum wage.
In April of last year, mandatory supplements were introduced for those earning the minimum wage, (and for those who earn slightly more than the minimum wage but less than the new minimum wage with the âŹ3 supplement), by means of amendments to the National Minimum Wage National Standard Order (S.L. 452.71).
âŹ350,000 in damages for breaching fiduciary obligations
In the recent judgment of M.A.I.N. Services Limited et v Albert Galea et (case 1246/07 JZM) delivered on the 28th September 2017, the Court examined in quite extensive detail the nature and the effects of fiduciary duties.
Employers Beware before âSpyingâ on Employees!
Bosses have limited rights to monitor employeesâ private correspondence. Landmark judgement delivered by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to monitoring of employeesâ communications.
Leave for medically assisted procreation
The recent Legal Notice No. 156 of 2017 (âLeave for Medically Assisted Procreation National Standard Order 2017â) has laid down minimum requirements designed to grant a period of paid leave to employees who undergo the process of medically assisted procreation (hereinafter referred to as the âleaveâ) whether in Malta or outside Malta.
When Paid Leave and Sick Leave Collide
As stated by the European Court of Justice (âECJâ), the right of employees to paid annual leave is a âparticularly important principle of the European Union social lawâ which cannot be derogated from the competent local authorities or practices, such as collective agreements, and whose implementation by the said authorities or practices must not fall short of the minimum requirements imposed by European law.
Employment Contracts Conducted Electronically
LEGAL BACKGROUND
In this digital age, there is an increased reliance on the internet as a means of conducting business in a more efficient manner. In recent years, businesses have slowly started to move away from traditional methods of conducting business, to a more online based business. This allows for innovation and development in the business sector.
Posting of Workers: The New Proposal of EU Commission for Revision of EU Directive 96/71/EC
As a specific form of temporary labour mobility, posting of workershas been a prominent topic of public and political debate during previous decades. Several factors have contributed to the debate.
FRAUD AND INVESTIGATIONS AT THE WORKPLACE
LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
Monitoring of employees at the workplace is not specifically regulated by Maltese Law. In this respect, one must refer to the Data Protection Act (Chapter 440 of the Laws of Malta), the European Directive 95/46/EC on processing of personal data and free movement of such data, as well as relevant rulings of the European Court of Justice (âECJâ) and the European Court of Human Rights (âECHRâ), and best common practices.
A principle common to all Member States is that when it comes to working life, employers must strike a balance between monitoring employees and employeesâ right to a private and family life. In fact, on the one hand, employers have an expectation to safeguard themselves against âwrongdoingâ at the place of work, and on the other hand employees have an expectation of privacy.
Therefore, as a matter of principle, monitoring of employees at the place of work must be reasonable, not excessive and not disproportionate.
The Banking of Hours: To Bank or Not to Bank?
An overview of Maltese law rules governing the banking of work hours
Employment on board Maltese flagged vessels â do seafarers get a fair deal?
AN OVERVIEW OF SEAFARERâS RIGHTS
As emphasised by the International Labour Organizations (ILO), seafarers are frequently exposed to difficult working conditions and particular occupational risks. In fact, since working far from home, they may be vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, non-payment of wages, non-compliance with employment agreements, exposure to poor diet and living conditions.