Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1509618
ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions: Global QMR Q3 2023 | 11 Strategic Update on EMEA Eastern Europe Western Europe • Poland is losing large numbers of Ukrainian refugees from its workforce as they choose to move to Germany for the higher wages and government benefits. A new study by the Center for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw found that Poland is not their first choice anymore. The study found that a developing network of Ukrainians in Germany is a factor in the migration shift, as people already established there help friends and acquaintances make the step. The Ukrainians questioned in the study also gave other reasons for choosing Germany, including higher wages, higher social benefits for refugees and better medical services. The study also pointed to compulsory German language classes organized by the government for refugees as an important factor that has helped Ukrainians become integrated into society and find their way in the workforce. • An update to the Czech Labor Code ushered in newfound rights granted to contract workers or freelancers, referred to as "contractors." Starting in 2024, these individuals will be entitled to vacation, provided they have worked for a minimum of 80 hours with the same employer within a four-week period. Vacation entitlement for contractors will be calculated similarly to full-time employees, except it will be based on their work hours, effectively considering them as half-time workers. Contractors who have worked with an employer for at least 180 days in the past year will have the right to request transitioning to a traditional employment contract. Employers must provide a written explanation if they choose not to grant this request. • Germany's Federal Labor Court ruled that temporary workers in Germany can be paid less than permanent employees in a comparable position if a collective bargaining agreement grants them advantages that neutralize, or compensate for, the unequal treatment. The decision cleared up legal uncertainty by confirming that German statutes allowing such an exception to the country's equal treatment principle, which encompasses equal pay, comply with European Union (EU) laws. • In order to bring to their countries a more significant number of foreign workers, several countries including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, introduced the Job Seeker visa, permitting foreigners to enter a specific country to search for a job. Through the Job Seeker Visa, foreigners are allowed to carry out work activities for a limited period of time until their visa expires. • The United Kingdom government announced its intention to limit the duration of non-compete post-termination restrictions in employment contracts to a maximum of three months. Non-compete covenants are designed to provide business protection to an employer by seeking to restrict a former employee from undertaking employment with a rival competitor for a defined period following the termination of their employment. Non-competition covenants are common in employment contracts with senior or key employees, and they have been upheld by the courts for durations of up to 12 months. The government's intended statutory cap will impose a limit of three months. ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions: Global QMR Q3 2023 | 11