Employer Obligations In Gulf Crisis

Following the lifting of certain sanctions against Iran, global companies in a variety of sectors are looking to identify opportunities for foreign direct investment into an exciting but challenging market.

While the 2-week ceasefire to the Iran Conflict announced 8 April 2026 provides hope, it is clear that the conflict has and will create uncertainty regarding business in Saudi Arabia.

One year on from the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), global companies in a variety of sectors are looking to identify opportunities for foreign direct investment into an exciting but challenging market.

Unless things have already driven you into your underground fallout shelter, it can be hard not to feel uneasy right now. Have we failed to heed the (perhaps not so fiction) science-fiction prognostications of the Matrix?

Since 1 January 2023, employees who have worked for at least one year for the same employer are entitled to a minimum of 12 paid vacation days (in addition to the statutory paid holidays).

The Canadian province of British Columbia has introduced measures that prohibit employers from asking job applicants for pay history information.

The Minimum Wage Council under the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) has set the 2026 minimum wage at KRW 10,320 per hour, a 2.9% increase from the current 2025 rate of KRW 10,030.

The European Union has introduced a groundbreaking directive aimed at transforming the gig economy by establishing new protections for platform workers.

On 21 March 2025, the New Federal Law for the Protection of Personal Data in Possession of Private Parties came into effect, superseding and repealing the prior data protection law.

As US state legislatures conclude their 2026 sessions, artificial intelligence regulation has transitioned from an emerging policy area to a mainstream compliance obligation. This comprehensive analysis examines the patchwork of enacted AI legislation across consumer transparency, healthcare, and employment sectors, revealing what businesses operating across state lines must prioritize in the second half of the year.

In Japan, standard working hours are limited to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.

These shifts are increasing both transparency and risk, with closer monitoring of visitor activity, evolving 'permanent establishment' rules...

The International Court of Justice has issued a landmark advisory opinion confirming that the right to strike is protected under ILO Convention No. 87, a treaty Australia ratified in 1973. While this opinion doesn't immediately change Australian domestic law, it creates a significant new reference point that unions may leverage in litigation, enterprise bargaining, and industrial relations reform discussions. Australian employers face potential challenges to existing Fair Work Act restrictions on protected

Japan's public pension system requires mandatory enrollment for all residents aged 20 to under 60, including foreign nationals, with contributions split equally between employers and employees. While supplementary corporate pension plans are voluntary, employers must navigate strict legal requirements when establishing or amending them. Understanding the interplay between statutory obligations, voluntary pension options, and the tax treatment of contributions and benefits is essential for compliant workforc