Legal Hurdles In Global Employment

Already fielding a variety of federal, state and local employment regulations, companies that expand globally will find compliance even more of a challenge. Variations in the requirements for paid parental leave, for example, run the gamut from nil in the United States to one year in numerous countries including Japan, the Czech Republic and Norway, up to 87 weeks in Estonia. In this Today’s General Counsel article, Nancy Cremins outlines a strategy for dealing with this kind of variation, starting with a recommendation that might be considered optional or prudent for domestic hires but which she says is essential when hiring abroad: The legal team must work “in lockstep” with HR. She also has some suggestions on how to conduct research on local rules, and a timely reminder that it’s crucial to establish working relationships with in-country lawyers and accountants.