As more and more companies invest overseas, the need for readily available, accurate, and detailed knowledge of labour and employment laws in multiple jurisdictions becomes an essential resource for employers and their counsel. Now, this one-of-a-kind new loose-leaf publication provides exactly such a tool. Launching with chapters on no fewer than sixteen countries - all of them among the world's most important commercial jurisdictions and labour markets - the Handbook promises to become, as it expands with new chapters on more jurisdictions added regularly, the preeminent, indispensable source of information on labour and employment laws worldwide. Each country chapter, written by a distinguished legal practitioner in that country, is based on a standard outline that allows users to compare the legal landscape and analyse solutions to employment problems in each jurisdiction. The following general categories, broken down in specific detail, are covered in each chapter: Legal Framework: Employment Law Contracts of Employment Recruiting, Interviewing, Screening and Hiring Employees Managing Performance/Conduct Termination of Employees for Performance or Disciplinary Reasons Layoffs, Reductions in Force, and/or Redundancies as a Result of Job Eliminations or Other Restructuring Labour and Employment Law Ramifications upon Acquisition or Sale of a Business Use of Alternative Workforces: Independent Contractors, Contract Employees, and Temporary or Leased Workers Obligation to Bargain Collectively with Trade Unions: Employees' Right to Strike and a Company's Right to Continue Business Operations Working Conditions: Hours of Work and Payment of Wages - By Statute or Collective Agreements Other Working Conditions and Benefits - By Statute, Collective Agreements, or Company Policy Workers' Compensation Company's Obligation to Provide Safe and Healthy Workplace Immigration, Secondment and Foreign Assignment Restrictive Covenants and Protection of Trade Secrets and Confidential Information Protection of Whistleblowing Claims Prohibition of Discrimination in the Workplace Smoking in the Workplace Use of Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace AIDS, HIV, SARS, Bloodborne Pathogens Dress and Grooming Requirements Privacy, Technology and Transfer of Personal Data Workplace Investigations for Complaints of Discrimination, Harassment, Fraud, Theft, and Whistleblowing Affirmative Action/Nondiscrimination Requirements Resolution of Labor, Discrimination and Employment Disputes: Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation Employer Recordkeeping, Data Protection, and Employee Access to Personnel Files and Records Required Notices and Postings For each category the chapter provides detailed coverage of applicable laws, with the addition of such practical features as checklists of do's and don'ts; step-by-step compliance measures with mandatory standards and procedures and recordkeeping requirements; specific applicable fines and penalties; and much more. Thoroughly practical in orientation, the Handbook is easy to understand for lawyers andnon-lawyers alike, and is sure to be greatly welcomed by business executives and human resources professionals as well as corporate counsel and business lawyers.

Many global companies want to establish a uniform culture among talented employees with common company values at all levels of the organization at all operations throughout the world. As companies expand their global operations, and as competition within and across jurisdictions increases, companies want to upgrade their workforce and hire the very best and most talented employees in each country where they have operations. Successful recruiting, interviewing and screening of candidates from the lowest to the highest level within the organization - will reduce turnover and other costs in the long run and increase profitability.As companies expand their global operations, in-house and outside counsel and H.R. representatives are more regularly being asked to provide advice on the following issues: What, if any, policies and procedures can a company adopt on a global basis to hire the best employees? What, if any, information can be requested of a candidate on an employment application? What, if any, questions can be asked of a candidate in an interview? What, if any, information needs to be shared with the candidate about the company or about the job? What, if any, pre-employment medical tests or exams or other tests can be required of a candidate? This handbook will provide both legal and practical answers to these questions and discuss the delicate balance between maintaining the privacy rights of employees with the business interests of employers.