International Women’s Day – still many obstacles to overcome
International Women’s Day, the day when women are recognised for their achievements, nevertheless reminds every year that women still have a long way to go before they are economically equal to men. Equality in wages is far from being achieved. Latest calculations show that it will take another 63 years to achieve full equality. Several national attempts have failed to produce results in any case. The EU is voting this month on new wage rules that will allow equalisation of pay for men and women.
The Dutch National Bank (DNB) scolded – founders DeGiro can be trusted
Wwft continues to occupy minds. The court overturns DNB’s earlier decision that founders of DeGiro are untrustworthy dismissing much of the evidence. At issue are six facts presented by DNB, which, by court order, may now not be used to prove any untrustworthiness of DeGiro’s founders.
bunq-ruling & The Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act
The Prevention of Financing of Terrorism Act (Wwft) has a risk-based approach that requires institutions themselves to assess the relevant risks of a client and then put in place sufficient mitigating measures in return. Banks and financial institutions have armies of employees dealing with KYC and CDD on a daily basis. Where do you stand?
You are fired!
A summary dismissal is very drastic and a last resort to allow the employer to dismiss an employee immediately in case of an urgent reason. Theft, fraud, threats and violence come to mind when asked for a reason, but refusal of work without good reason can also lead to summary dismissal.
An employer, as the stronger party, is expected to handle summary dismissal with due diligence and exercise due diligence towards an employee based on good employment practice.
In the case of summary dismissal, the relationship between the requirement of promptness and the duty of care taken must be considered.
Proper preparation can ensure that the employer is not caught off guard by the court. Taking timely legal advice is one of them. ACG International is specialised and experienced in assisting both employers and employees in issues of (dismissal) grounds. It is important for both employers and employees that these matters are and remain on the right track.
Mind the gap!
Despite the efforts of policy makers, the pay gap (the difference between men’s and women’s wages) remains a major problem to be addressed. It can seem overwhelming and often employers do not know exactly where and how to start. Such issues can cause problems and create a tense working atmosphere. ACG International can help employers create transparency.
EU Businesses working in Switzerland – how to make your project profitable, without being confronted with expensive fines once you are back home
Performing projects in Switzerland can be very interesting to international companies, especially since it’s generally well paid. However Switzerland is not a member of the European Union (EU) and therefore different rules apply.
Doing business in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates – what to look out for?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain) located along the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula.
A conversation with Edith Nordmann, Managing Partner
Edith Nordmann is managing partner at ACG International. Prior to that she has worked for fifteen years as an attorney for international clients. In this interview we meet her.
No EU-Switzerland cooperation deal – what are the consequences?
After seven years of negotiations, Switzerland pulled the plug on 26 May 2021 of years of efforts to sign a historic partnership agreement with the EU. Due to ‘substantial differences on some key aspects’, further talks make no sense, according to the Swiss.
Face masks and the fight against Corona
Part 1 – Is the employer liable if an employee gets infected with Corona at work?
The Dutch Government has still not introduced an obligation to wear face masks in order to be protected against Covid-19. In fact, while Amsterdam and Rotterdam announced a few weeks ago that they desperately wanted to introduce a legal requirement to wear face masks in busy public places, it has already been decided after 2 weeks to abolish the face mask obligation.