Knit People

Belgium has cut the minimum weekly hours required for new part-time contracts from one third of a full-time schedule to just one tenth.

⚖️: https://leglobal.law/2026/05/27/belgium-reform-of-rules-on-internal-work-rules-minimum-work-time-night-work-and-cap-on-notice-periods/

⚖️ Egypt now recognizes remote work, part-time roles, flexible hours, and job sharing as legal employment types.

They carry the same protections as standard jobs.

Read: https://www.shandpartners.com/insights/firm-news/legalizing-remote-work-across-borders-egypts-labor-law-no-14-of-2025-and-the-legal-status-of-cross-border-employment/

🚨Changes Landing This October in UK

Tribunal claim deadlines double to 6 months starting October 1.

Employers must also take real steps to prevent sexual harassment (including from third parties) and meet new trade union rights starting October 30.

Read: https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2026/uk/october-2026-are-uk-employers-ready

The Netherlands has raised its statutory minimum wage. 📈

Employees aged 21 and older now earn €14.99 gross per hour, with youth rates adjusted proportionally by age.

Update: https://business.gov.nl/amendments/minimum-wage-increases-july-2026/

Vietnam is banning employers from holding onto workers' original ID papers, diplomas, or certificates, starting September 10, 2026.

Companies that break this rule can be fined up to 50 million VND and must give back any documents they took, while individual employers face fines up to 25 million VND.

📢:https://datafiles.chinhphu.vn/cpp/files/vbpq/2026/7/283-ndcp.signed.pdf

Brazil is one Senate vote away from ending the 6x1 work schedule.

The proposed constitutional amendment caps the working week at 40 hours with two rest days and no pay cuts, phased in over 14 months.

⚖️:
https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/materias/2026/07/28/discussao-sobre-fim-da-escala-de-trabalho-6x1-continua-em-agosto

Belgium has slashed the minimum weekly hours for part-time contracts.

Employers can now hire staff for as little as 4 hours a week, down from around 13, though some sectors still set their own thresholds.

⚖️: https://werk.belgie.be/nl/news/modernisering-van-het-arbeidsrecht-vanaf-1-juni-2026-nieuwe-maatregelen-die-uitvoering-geven

If a local Chinese partner signs the employment contract, who's liable when a dispute happens?

Most people say the local partner. Chinese courts increasingly disagree.

Courts check who actually controls the worker. Who assigns tasks, who they report to, who sets the schedule. If that's the head office abroad, the foreign parent can be named the real employer and held jointly liable for wages and severance.

Who assigns the daily tasks for your China team? 💬

If you need help assessing your setup in China, reach out to Knit at [email protected] 📩

Malaysia has sharply raised its Employment Pass salary thresholds. The new minimum monthly salaries are:

EP Category I: RM20,000
EP Category II: RM10,000
EP Category III: RM5,000 (RM7,000 for manufacturing)

🔎: https://esd.imi.gov.my/portal/latest-news/announcement/announcement-266-ep-salary-policy-2026/

Argentina's new Labor Assistance Fund takes effect on November 1, 2026.

Employers will redirect part of their payroll contributions into the fund, which will help cover severance payments for registered employees.

⚖️: https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/detalleAviso/primera/342622/20260601