Erika C. Collins, Author at Laborsphere

New Efforts to Manage India’s Second Wave of COVID-19 Infections

As has been well-documented over the past several weeks, India has experienced a significant second wave of COVID-19 infections. In light of the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, at least 11 Indian states and union territories have imposed COVID-19 restrictions. This past weekend, the eastern state of Odisha and the northern industrial state of Haryana became the latest to announce new lockdowns, joining Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal, among others.

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Ontario Provides Employees with Paid Leave Entitlement in COVID-19-Related Circumstances

On April 29, 2021, the Ontario government passed Bill 284, COVID-19 Putting Workers First Act, 2021 (the “Act”), which amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”). The Act requires employers to provide employees with up to three days of paid leave if they miss work for COVID-19-related reasons. The paid leave entitlement is retroactive to April 19, 2021 and will end on September 25, 2021, the same day that the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit ends. The Act may be extended beyond that date.

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Summer Sun and State-Sponsored Stipends in Malta

First it was digital nomads. Now will “state-sponsored stipends” become part of the mainstream global lexicon?

As we have discussed at length, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected employers and employees across the world. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, governments have implemented measures to address the economic impact of the pandemic, including job retention schemes and promoting remote work. Last year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of Barbados and Estonia took a dynamic approach to changes in the workplace and introduced digital nomad visas that allow individuals to live in those countries while they work for foreign employers.

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UAE Looks to Increase Women Board Membership and Representation

In an effort to empower Emirati women and to encourage them to play a greater role as board members of listed companies, the United Arab Emirates’ Securities and Commodities Authority (“SCA”) has required all UAE listed companies to have at least one female board director.

Although it is reported that women sit on the boards of 28 of the 110 (26%) listed companies in the UAE, women only hold 3.5% of all board positions. As such, this new SCA requirement seeks to increase female representation at the highest levels of listed companies. Previously, the SCA set a target for companies to achieve 20% female representation on their boards and required those companies that fail to attain this level to explain the reasons for any shortfall.

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