You’re all signed up for the Human Times
Thank you for your interest in our service.
Watch out for a confirmation email from our subscriptions team. Once you have confirmed you will join the worldwide community of over 30,000 subscribers who are receiving daily HR intelligence to lead, innovate and grow.
Note: Due to the nature of this message you may find this in your "promotions" or "spam" folders, please check there. If nothing arrives within a few minutes let us know. If you do not receive this email we will be happy to help get you set up.
Adding the email address humantimes@human-times.com, will help to ensure all newsletters arrive directly to your inbox.
Recent Editions
Human Times
North America
A group of workers at Google has filed a complaint with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, claiming that the company unlawfully fired them for protesting its cloud contract with the Israeli government. The workers allege that Google interfered with their rights under U.S. labor law to advocate for better working conditions. The complaint seeks reinstatement to their jobs with back pay and a statement from Google that it will not violate workers' rights to organize. Google has not yet responded to the complaint. The workers claim that the project supports Israel's development of military tools, but Google has stated that the contract is not related to sensitive or military workloads. One of the workers, Zelda Montes, who was arrested during a protest, said that Google fired employees to suppress organizing and send a message to its workforce. The NLRB general counsel will review the complaint and attempt to settle the claim. If that fails, the general counsel can pursue the case before administrative judges and a five-member board appointed by the U.S. president.
Full IssueHuman Times
UK
Over a fifth of white-collar jobs in London are now fully remote, as employers in the UK capital embrace working from home to attract staff seeking higher pay without the high living costs. A survey by recruiter Hays found that the proportion of remote jobs in London has risen from 18% to 22%, making it equal to the east of England as the UK region with the highest number of fully remote jobs. Lorraine Twist, a finance director at Hays, says remote contracts are attractive to candidates who can enjoy a London salary without the commute and high property prices. The survey also revealed that the proportion of London staff working entirely in the office has decreased, while hybrid jobs have also declined. The findings suggest that parts of the UK labour market remain tight as firms compete for talent.
Full IssueHuman Times
Europe
The Italian government is set to announce an economic package that includes temporary tax breaks for firms hiring staff on open-ended contracts and a cash bonus of up to €100 for low earners. The measures are being proposed ahead of the European elections and aim to test the popularity of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition. Italy currently has the widest budget in Europe and expects its public debt to rise further through 2026. The economic package also includes incentives for employers to hire women and young people, as well as measures to speed up the spending of cohesion funds. Additionally, a separate decree allows companies to reduce their taxable income by up to 130% of the costs incurred for newly hired permanent employees. The cash bonus initiative will provide up to €100 to eligible families with an income no higher than €28,000 per year. The economic package is also expected to raise the tax rate on productivity bonuses in 2025.
Full IssueHuman Times
Middle East
A new report released by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) reveals that 35% of organisations in the UAE have adopted flexible work policies as part of the Parent Friendly Label (PFL) programme. The report, titled "The Future of Work: The Rise of Parent-friendly Workplaces in the UAE," discusses the impact of the PFL programme and its benefits for working parents, children, and organisations. The PFL programme, launched in 2021, recognizes organisations in the UAE for their commitment to a supportive work culture and policies that benefit children up to eight years old. The report covers 75 organisations across 23 industries and includes recommendations for creating parent-friendly workplaces. According to the report, organisations that formalise parent-friendly practices into policies see the most impact. Additionally, employees in parent-friendly workplaces are nine times more likely to recommend their employers. The success of the PFL programme highlights the growing demand for parent-friendly workplaces in the UAE and the positive change it brings to work policies.
Full Issue