Labour Standards

Connecticut Adopts Warehouse Quota And Work-Speed Data Protections (Public Act 26-1)

Connecticut has enacted Public Act 26-1, imposing new quota transparency, work-speed data retention and anti-retaliation requirements on large warehouse distribution centres from 1 July 2026. Large logistics and retail operators with Connecticut warehouses must now review work-speed targets, notification practices and HR systems so that quotas allow breaks, preserve three years of work-speed data, respond to employee data requests within 10 days and avoid litigation and civil penalties.

18 May 2026, 17:51cga.ct.govUnited States

International Cocoa Conference Adopts International Cocoa Agreement 2026

In February 2026, the UN International Cocoa Conference adopted the International Cocoa Agreement 2026, creating a new global framework for governing the cocoa market and the sustainability of the cocoa economy. The agreement, which will enter into force once signature and ratification thresholds are met, puts living income, child labour elimination, deforestation and market transparency at the centre of national cocoa policies, influencing future expectations for responsible cocoa sourcing and investment.

15 May 2026, 16:22docs.un.orgGlobal

Greek Ministry of Labour Advances Equal-Pay Draft Bill and Extends Collective Agreements to Over 400,000 Workers

In May 2026 Greece’s Ministry of Labour extended sectoral collective bargaining agreements in food service and confectionery to more than 400,000 workers and reported significant progress on a draft bill transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive on equal pay. These measures lock in above-minimum wage increases for key service sectors and signal that employers in Greece should prepare for forthcoming obligations on pay transparency, gender pay-gap reporting, and fairer recruitment and HR practices.

15 May 2026, 13:40ypergasias.gov.grGreece

Norway Parliament Debates Motion 8:157 LS to Reverse Working Environment Act Relaxations and Strengthen Union Representatives' Authority

Norway’s Parliament will in May 2026 debate Motion 8:157 LS, which proposes reversing earlier relaxations in the Working Environment Act and giving union representatives stronger control over working time, night work and Sunday work. If advanced, this could tighten scheduling and night-work rules across Norwegian employers, increasing union involvement in working-time arrangements and constraining extended or highly flexible hours, particularly in retail and rotational work.

14 May 2026, 19:01stortinget.noNorway

Spain Ministry of Labour Issues 100-Measure Roadmap for CSR and CSDDD Transposition

Spain’s Ministry of Labour has unveiled a 100-measure expert roadmap to shift corporate social responsibility from voluntary initiatives towards binding due diligence obligations as it prepares to transpose the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. This signals a medium-term tightening of ESG governance for companies operating in Spain, with likely new duties on human-rights and environmental risk management, stakeholder engagement, and enforcement once legislative proposals follow.

13 May 2026, 11:54ftps.mitramiss.gob.esSpain

New York Senate Bill S10265 Proposes Menstrual and Menopausal Workplace Accommodation and Notice Requirements

New York has introduced Senate Bill S10265 to expand anti‑discrimination protections for workers with menstrual, perimenopausal and menopausal conditions and to require employers to distribute rights information and post workplace notices. If enacted, HR and compliance teams in New York would need to update accommodation policies, ensure these conditions are explicitly covered, and implement Division of Human Rights pamphlet distribution and notice‑posting within the 90‑day implementation window for the new section 201‑j.

13 May 2026, 09:20nysenate.govUnited States

UK Government Consults on Draft Code of Practice for Trade Union Workplace Access

The UK government has issued its response to the 2025 consultation on trade union right of access under the Employment Rights Act 2025 and is consulting, until 20 May 2026, on a draft statutory Code of Practice governing unions’ access to workplaces across Great Britain. Employers with 21 or more workers should assess how the new access framework, timeframes and potential penalties could affect their sites, and prepare policies, governance and training ahead of the expected October 2026 commencement.

11 May 2026, 11:57gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Council of Europe GRETA Publishes Fourth Evaluation of UK Anti-Trafficking Measures

On 5 May 2026 the Council of Europe’s GRETA body published its fourth evaluation of how the UK is implementing the anti-trafficking convention, highlighting persistent vulnerabilities for migrant workers, asylum seekers, children and other at-risk groups. The report increases pressure for the UK to tighten labour enforcement and immigration safeguards, strengthen Modern Slavery Act supply-chain transparency and victim protections, and raises expectations on corporate human-rights due diligence in high-risk sectors.

11 May 2026, 11:56rm.coe.intUnited Kingdom

Poland Labour Inspectorate To Offer Binding Interpretations On Civil-Law Contracts From 8 July 2026

From 8 July 2026, Poland’s State Labour Inspectorate will start issuing binding interpretations on the correct use of civil-law contracts, giving employers a formal route to clarify whether their arrangements comply with new labour law rules. This creates a safe harbour for businesses that follow the interpretations, reducing the risk of inspections leading to penalties or forced contract reclassification and encouraging proactive clean-up of borderline contracting practices.

11 May 2026, 11:44pip.gov.plPoland

Illinois SB3975 On Workforce Management Reporting Re-Referred To Senate Assignments Committee

Illinois SB3975 is a pending bill that would amend the state Equal Pay Act to require very large employers to file and publish detailed annual workforce management reports, and it has now been re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee as of 8 May 2026. If enacted, this would create substantial new transparency and data-governance obligations around diversity, pay, training and health and safety for employers with over $100 million in revenue and 100+ employees, requiring early planning of reporting systems, data quality and public disclosure strategies.

11 May 2026, 11:33ilga.govUnited States

Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority Issues Notices of Orders to 12 Law Firms Over Serious Working-Time Breaches

In May 2026 the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority notified 12 law firms of corrective orders after inspections uncovered serious breaches of working-time rules and major shortcomings in time registration and risk assessment practices. The sector now faces a 25 September 2026 compliance deadline and potential administrative fines, signalling stricter enforcement of working-time obligations and the need for stronger governance of working hours in high-pressure professional services.

9 May 2026, 19:11arbeidstilsynet.noNorway

Italy INAIL Revises Agricultural Accident Insurance Contribution Rates From 2026

INAIL has revised contribution rates for mandatory insurance against workplace accidents and occupational diseases in agriculture, with new tariffs applying from 1 January 2026 as set out in Circular No. 18 of 7 May 2026. Agricultural employers and self-employed farmers in Italy must update payroll and budgeting processes to apply the new territorial rates, as these directly affect labour costs and compliance with mandatory accident-insurance obligations.

9 May 2026, 18:59inail.itItaly

Slovakia Changes Labour Law and Raises Illegal Employment Fines From 2025–2026

Slovakia has implemented a consolidation law that changes key labour law rules from November 2025 and January 2026, including higher fines for illegal employment and new requirements on holidays, sick pay and business travel allowances. Employers operating in Slovakia should reassess working-time, payroll and staffing practices now, as non-compliance with the updated Labour Code and labour inspection regime will carry significantly higher financial and enforcement risks.

9 May 2026, 18:49ip.gov.skSlovakia

UN CRPD Committee Issues Concluding Observations on Pakistan

In March 2026 the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities issued wide-ranging concluding observations on Pakistan’s implementation of the Convention, published in May 2026. The recommendations point to stronger expectations on non-discrimination, accessibility, inclusive employment and social protection, signalling future legal and policy reforms that will raise compliance, ESG and human-rights due diligence pressures for public authorities and private employers in Pakistan.

9 May 2026, 14:19docstore.ohchr.orgPakistan

Norway Submits Bill To Broaden Occupational Accident Definition In National Insurance Act

Norway has submitted a bill to broaden the legal definition of occupational accident in the National Insurance Act so that more workers in high-risk roles gain access to occupational injury compensation from 1 January 2027. For companies operating in Norway, this signals a likely expansion of compensation exposure for work-related injuries and reinforces the need to manage occupational risks, especially in health, care and other physically demanding occupations.

9 May 2026, 13:18regjeringen.noNorway

European Commission Presents Social Plan to Boost Accessibility and Inclusion for Persons With Disabilities

In May 2026 the European Commission updated its 2021–2030 disability rights strategy and unveiled a new EU social plan to boost accessibility, independent living and anti-poverty measures for persons with disabilities. Although it does not yet create direct new regulatory obligations for most companies, it signals a stronger future focus on accessible services, assistive technologies and housing inclusion that ESG and public affairs teams should monitor across the EU.

8 May 2026, 18:02commission.europa.euEuropean Union

US OMB and Defense Agencies Seek Comment on DEI Discrimination Information Collection for Federal Contractors

US procurement and space agencies are seeking public comment by 6 July 2026 on the paperwork burden associated with new information collection requirements implementing Executive Order 14398 on DEI discrimination by federal contractors. Federal contractors subject to FAR clause 52.222-90 should review the proposed reporting, recordkeeping and subcontractor-notification duties and decide whether to engage in this consultation to shape final oversight expectations.

8 May 2026, 08:57federalregister.govUnited States

Spain Signs 2026 Joint Annual Objectives Plan Between Public Employment Service and Labour Inspectorate

Spain’s labour inspectorate and public employment service have signed their 2026 joint annual objectives plan to coordinate inspections on employment-related Social Security benefits, hiring incentives, and training subsidies. The plan signals continued scrutiny of benefit claims and employment incentives, so employers in Spain should tighten eligibility checks, documentation, and data reporting to minimise fraud risk and potential sanctions.

8 May 2026, 08:23oeitss.gob.esSpain

Colorado SB26-160: Legislature Passes PPE Wage-Deduction Ban And Meatpacking Restroom Rules

In May 2026 the Colorado General Assembly passed SB26-160, a bill banning wage deductions for required personal protective equipment and imposing restroom-access requirements on large meatpacking employers. If enacted, Colorado employers will need to fund required PPE outright and large meat processors will need to review staffing, facilities and scheduling to ensure restroom access, increasing labour-compliance and HSE obligations at affected sites.

8 May 2026, 07:47leg.colorado.govUnited States

EU Official Journal Publishes European Parliament Resolution on AI and Algorithmic Management in the Workplace

In May 2026 the EU Official Journal published the European Parliament’s detailed resolution on digitalisation, AI and algorithmic management in the workplace, setting out a blueprint for future EU rules on workplace AI systems. If followed, the recommendations would drive new obligations on transparency, human oversight, data protection and occupational health and safety for employers using algorithmic management tools across the EU, reshaping HR, compliance and technology strategies over the next few years.

8 May 2026, 07:28eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union