European Employment Insights: July 2026 – AI in the workplace and key changes to European labour law
In the July issue of Andersen Employment Insights, experts from over a dozen European countries analyse the changes that are already affecting employers and HR teams.
Here are a few topics particularly worth noting:
- Artificial intelligence and employers’ obligations. The AI Act is becoming a reality. In Italy, new regulations already require employers to be transparent when using AI systems for recruitment or performance assessment, obliging them to inform employees and customers about their use.
- Protection against high temperatures. Climate change is driving new health and safety regulations. In Spain and Lithuania, new guidelines and inspections by labour authorities have been introduced regarding the safe organisation of work during heatwaves.
- Flexibility vs employee protection. In Germany, plans are afoot to make it easier to dismiss top-earning employees in exchange for statutory severance pay, whilst in Ireland, a new law protects employees from being forced to retire before the age of 66.
These are just a few examples among dozens of changes described by authors from across Europe.
Poland – key insights:
- Proposed new temperature limits in the workplace
- Amendments to the legislation on combating workplace bullying adopted by the Sejm (including a requirement for ‘systematic’ prevention)
- Government draft bill introducing a 33% quota for the under-represented gender on the boards of listed companies
- Planned changes to sick pay for pregnant women (funding by ZUS from the first day of sick leave)
- A Supreme Court ruling confirming that entering into marriage does not preclude the existence of an employment relationship
We encourage you to read the full edition of the newsletter – LINK
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Magdalena Patryas and Katarzyna de Rosset.
KONTAKT
Magdalena Patryas
Partner, Katowice
E: magdalena.patryas@pl.Andersen.com
T: +48 32 731 68 84
M: +48 502 392 419
Katarzyna de Rosset
Senior Associate, Warsaw
E: katarzyna.derosset@pl.Andersen.com
T: +48 22 690 08 88