http://www.watsonwyatt.com Latest Watson Wyatt Human Capital Strategies Articles and News en-us Copyright 2008 Watson Wyatt Worldwide http://backend.userland.com/rss091 5/9/2008 1:51:23 PM 20 Employed and independent workers' minimum taxable income for 2008 tax filings has been raised as of January 1, 2008. [COLOMBIA]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=19030Proposed immigration reforms in Sweden would make it easier for employers to recruit employees from around the world and would automatically give work permits to any foreign worker with a job in Sweden. The measure, which is expected to be enacted, would take effect on December 15, 2008. [SWEDEN]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=19007Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm, today announced that Yvonne Cox has been named Managing Consultant for Singapore. [SINGAPORE]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18954The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed new regulations for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Although employers were hoping for significant guidance, these proposed regulations provide mostly clarifications and minor changes. [UNITED STATES]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18912Employers must withhold more social security contributions from employees’ paychecks according to a presidential decree of February 21, 2008. The decree also sets new maximum and minimum levels for retirement benefits paid by the government. [ARGENTINA]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18891Minimum pensions and salaries are being adjusted based on corrected inflation estimations, the Labor Minister recently announced. [FRANCE]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18895Employers hiring illegal migrant workers from outside the European Union could face strong penalties under new immigration rules that took effect on February 29, 2008. [UNITED KINGDOM]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18893UK, March 20, 2008 – Lucy Kellaway of the Financial Times was named HR journalist of the year at the Watson Wyatt Awards for Excellence in HR Journalism. [EUROPE]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18835 [UNITED STATES]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18794The minimum wage has increased recently in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Uruguay. [LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18890Recently approved changes to the parental benefit system offer incentives to parents of young children to return to work sooner. The new law offers greater compensation for workers who take a shorter parental leave. [AUSTRIA]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18695The subprime mortgage crisis in the United States and the declining U.S. dollar have caused market turmoil worldwide. With public officials predicting continuing volatility for the near future, investors, including pension funds, face a perplexing landscape. [UNITED STATES]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18680The unemployment contribution rate for employers and employees has been reduced, and the maximum period to receive unemployment benefits has been extended, under a law that took effect on January 1, 2008. [GERMANY]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18684Since its inception more than 175 years ago in Trieste, Italy, the Generali Group has become one of Europe’s largest and most successful insurers, with millions of clients on five continents. Watson Wyatt has been a trusted advisor to Generali through several key milestones in that evolution, working closely with executives to help the company adapt to changing priorities, new procedures, and better ideas and strategies. [UNITED STATES]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18665A new mandatory holiday, Family Day, which will take place the third Monday of every February, has been introduced in Ontario. The first Family Day was February 18, 2008. [CANADA - ENGLISH]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18672Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm, announces that Graeme Field has been appointed Principal Consultant and Regional Leader for Talent Management in Asia Pacific, providing consulting expertise with particular emphasis on Performance and Talent Management, and supporting Watson Wyatt Human Capital Group leadership in the areas of Organizational Transformation and Change Management. [HONG KONG]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18783Employees may take up to six months of job- and benefit-protected leave to care for family members injured in the line of active military duty. In certain other circumstances, workers may take up to 12 weeks of leave when a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call to active duty. [UNITED STATES]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18617A new U.S. law more than doubles the amount of leave employees may take when a family member is injured in the line of military duty. The law also allows shorter leave periods for employees whose family members are called to active duty. The law took effect on January 28, 2008, and employers can expect to see requests soon. [UNITED STATES]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18606Employers need to do more to help their managers motivate poorer-performing staff, according to research by consultants Watson Wyatt. [EUROPE]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18580New regulations set the days of paid annual leave employees are entitled to, effective January 1, 2008. Many companies are currently reviewing their existing annual leave policies to fully comply with the new rules. [CHINA]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=18584