COVID-19, geopolitical developments, inflation, supply chain challenges, and economic uncertainty continue to challenge businesses and disrupt ways of working. In this update to our 2022 top trends for US employers, we identify the latest developments and offer our predictions for the second half of the year.

2. EU-wide: August 2022 implementation deadline for two employment directives

EU member states had until August 1, 2022, to implement the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive and until August 2, 2022, to implement the Work-Life Balance for Parents and Careers Directive. While many member states did not meet these deadlines, implementation activity has been ramping up. Last month, we reported on developments in family leave in Denmark and Ireland and measures to implement the Working Conditions Directive in both Italy and Germany.

3. New leave laws challenge global employers’ compliance efforts

Jurisdictions around the world are enacting new leave laws. Ireland enacted a new Sick Leave Act and extended its Parent’s Leave and Benefit from 5 to 7 weeks; Denmark amended its rules on absence for special family reasons and passed a new Act on Maternity/Paternity Leave; and a recent UK Supreme Court decision on holiday pay will make it risky for UK employers to continue the routine practice of calculating...