On 5 May 2022, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced its endorsement of the Guidelines on the Mandatory Reference Checking Scheme (respectively, Guidelines and MRC Scheme) issued by the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the DTC Association – just one year after issuing the Consultation Conclusions Paper (covered in our previous bulletin). The MRC Scheme has been launched as an effort … Read more

The law on harassment, discrimination and privacy of workers is well established online and in the office. But applying these rules in the metaverse will still raise some novel risks and challenges For technology enthusiasts, the advent of the metaverse – an expanding 3D virtual universe where you experience a digital life as an avatar … Read more

The recent spate of cyber attacks and data breaches in Australia has renewed focus on the Australian Government’s ongoing review of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The new Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, had already promised “sweeping reforms” and a suite of proposals before the end of the year. However, expectations – of both the … Read more

Since the onset of the pandemic, our global employment team has been monitoring the level and changing nature of risks around the world.  Whilst some trends have accelerated i.e. whistleblowing regulations, there are some new and important developments that pose significant employment risks. We have mapped these across the major financial centers using an interactive … Read more

Those expecting the usual crop of government consultations on employment law reform to be rushed out before the summer recess will be disappointed this year; most of the ‘to do’ list (here) remains untouched, with just a few exceptions: The Government has finally published its response to the 2018 employment status consultation (which formed part … Read more

With the ongoing development and growing application of artificial intelligence, analytics and automation there is increasing public and regulatory interest in ensuring that any potential risks stemming from these technologies are mitigated. A key area of concern is around ‘bias’ and AI fairness. This whitepaper – prepared in collaboration with UK Finance  – explores ideas of … Read more

There are many different rules and regulations governing how employees return to the physical workplace, following the upheaval of Covid-19, and how to ensure the health and safety of workforces. Do employees need to provide proof of a double vaccination, a negative test, or recent recovery from COVID-19?  The law is rapidly changing and varies … Read more

Radical upheavals in working life are taking hold at a global level as remote and hybrid working leave lasting changes across industries in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, employers are more inclined to advocate about geopolitical and social issues, use technology to manage and monitor the new ways of working, and adopt … Read more