Human Times

European Edition

23rd July 2026

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THE HOT STORY

Italian unions agree workers' rights deal with Amazon

Italy's Filt CGIL, Fit CISL and Uiltrasporti unions have signed ‌an agreement with Amazon covering leave, employee rights and video surveillance. The unions said 57 local sites were included in the deal with Amazon Italia Transport and Amazon Italia Logistica. It has been agreed that video surveillance cannot be used for disciplinary ‌purposes, and workers ⁠have been granted the right to take parental leave in increments as small as a single hour. The deal was hailed by the unions as the first such national collective agreement reached with Amazon in any country.

Reuters

WORK FROM ABROAD

How to offer location-flexibility without the compliance risk

The best people increasingly want this kind of freedom, whether it’s working near a partner posted overseas or from their home country a few weeks a year. In fact, 97% say flexibility is a key factor in their job decisions: allow it and you win those hires and keep the people you already have.

The catch is the compliance underneath: corporate tax, social security, immigration and labour law, any of which a single trip can trigger. Get a clear breakdown of the key compliance risks of working from abroad, with practical tips on how to manage them before they arise.

Download the No-Risk Handbook for HR & GM teams here!

TECHNOLOGY

AI will not trigger a collapse in ‌employment, Adecco says

Denis Machuel, the CEO of Zurich-based Adecco Group, the world's largest staffing company, has told Reuters that AI will not precipitate a collapse in ‌employment despite concerns the technology will displace large numbers of workers. "AI is bringing a massive evolution in the world of work, but a job apocalypse is not on the horizon," Machuel said. "It's more about changing roles ‌and ⁠tasks than eliminating jobs." He said employers needed to reinvent the entry-level roles that are however disappearing so AI can complement them, observing that upskilling, reskilling, and closer collaboration among companies, governments and education systems was essential.

Reuters

LEGAL

Investigators search Deutsche Bank headquarters

German prosecutors have searched Deutsche Bank’s headquarters for the third time this year as they investigate alleged fraudulent tax transactions at its Postbank division between 2008 and 2010. A person familiar with the matter said the search involved so-called cum-cum trades, which involved trading in stocks of German companies around dividend payout days, which authorities say amounted to tax fraud. "Deutsche Bank is being searched as a third party in this matter and we are cooperating fully," the bank said in a ⁠statement.

Financial Times

Reuters

Deutsche Welle

Bosses can't insist workers appear on camera

An employment tribunal in the UK has ruled that requiring employees to keep their cameras on during virtual meetings can constitute disability discrimination. Laura Tait, a travel consultant at Holiday Extras, said she felt overwhelmed by such a directive due to her anxiety. The tribunal found that her employer failed to provide reasonable adjustments, such as allowing her to join meetings with her camera off. Employment Judge Liz Ord added that Ms Tait was left with “substantial disadvantages in the workplace” because of the company's failure to make reasonable adjustments.

The Independent

The Times

RISK

Ukrainian drones strike Wildberries warehouses for second time in four days

Ukraine has reportedly targeted logistics centres belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries for the second time in four days, with overnight drone strikes injuring 15 people and disrupting operations at warehouses in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions. Kyiv has previously claimed the facilities are used to supply components for Russia's drone and navigation equipment, while regional officials said the wider attacks also killed one worker at a company in Armavir and sparked a fire at an oil depot. The latest strikes follow attacks on Wildberries warehouses in Tambov and Elektrostal on Saturday that reportedly killed eight people and injured 62.

Reuters

BBC News

REGULATION

US lawmakers urge Trump to challenge EU tech rules

A group of 25 Republican US lawmakers has urged President Donald Trump to take action against the European Union's digital regulations, including considering Section 301 trade investigations and potential tariffs, arguing that the Digital Markets Act unfairly targets major US technology companies. The lawmakers criticised the expected inclusion of Amazon's and Microsoft's cloud businesses under the rules and opposed planned EU fines against Google. The European Commission rejected claims of discrimination, insisting it applies its digital regulations fairly and has the sovereign right to regulate companies operating within the bloc.

Reuters

REMOTE WORKING

Romania has fewest remote jobs in EU

Romania is the European country with the least remote work, according to Bestjobs data. Just 2% of total jobs active on the Bestjobs platform are completely remote ones. Around 6% of the platform's active jobs are hybrid ones, and 83% are exclusively office ones.

ZF English

TAX

Shakira's tax dispute fuels scrutiny of Spain's tax authority

Spanish singer Shakira's long-running tax dispute has intensified public debate over the practices of Spain's tax agency, after authorities appealed a court ruling that dismissed €55m ($63m) in tax claims related to the 2011 tax year. The case has become a focal point for broader criticism of the agency's investigative methods, while government officials have defended the integrity of Spain's tax system and rejected allegations of unfair enforcement. The controversy has coincided with wider concerns about the tax agency's operations, including calls from tax professionals and inspectors for greater transparency, staffing reforms, and changes to performance incentives. The debate comes as Spain faces increasing pressure to sustain tax revenues amid rising pension and demographic costs, ensuring that scrutiny of the country's tax administration extends well beyond Shakira's individual case.

Accounting Today

INTERNATIONAL

EEOC moves to scrap employer reporting of worker race and sex data

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has proposed to eliminate the EEO-1 reporting requirement, which mandates that employers submit data on the race and sex of their workers. The EEOC has previously used the information to probe bias complaints filed by individual workers and to determine if companies exhibit a pattern of discriminatory conduct. EEOC chair Andrea Lucas, a Trump administration appointee, said that sorting workers by race and sex can encourage discrimination, including against majority groups such ⁠as ⁠white people and men. "The EEO data ⁠reports stand in direct tension with (federal law's) requirement that employment practices be colourblind," Lucas said. Kalpana Kotagal, the lone Democratic member of the commission who voted to reject the proposal, said: "These efforts should ⁠be seen for what they are: an attempt to weaken equal employment opportunity, and to undermine progress for women and historically marginalised communities."

Los Angeles Times

U.S. News

Monday.com to cut 20% of global workforce

Israeli technology giant monday.com has announced a restructuring that will result in the laying-off of 620 employees, or about 20% of the company's global workforce. The decision is part of a product transformation aimed at developing an AI-based work platform. The company said it is flattening its organisational structure to enhance decision-making speed and efficiency. “This is the most painful decision we have made since founding monday.com – yet we are certain it is the right one. We made it. We own it. And we take full responsibility for it,” Monday.com co-founders Roy Mann and Eran Zinman wrote in a letter to employees. “The organisation we built for our previous chapter is not the organisation that fits the new AI era.”

The Jerusalem Post

The Times of Israel

Aldi reaches proposed A$55m settlement with over 30,000 workers

Aldi has proposed a A$55m settlement to address claims of underpayment in a class action lawsuit involving over 30,000 workers. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association had said that Aldi directed employees to work before and after their shifts without pay. Aldi has already compensated approximately A$28.9m to affected workers and anticipates an additional A$26.3m payout, along with A$1.5m for legal fees. SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer said: "This is a major result for tens of thousands of current and former Aldi workers." The court will review the settlement in October.

Yahoo News Australia

OTHER

Japan’s cup noodle pioneer gives cold shoulder to boiling water

Cup Noodle pioneer Nissin Foods has launched a variant that does not need boiling water in a bid to help people cope with rising temperatures on kokushobi - “cruelly hot days”.

Financial Times

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