Employment law 5 in 5: February 2026

At a glance

• Employment law in Asia Pacific 2026.
• UK Employment Rights Act.
• Developments in the US.
• Gender pay transparency in Italy.
• Attend our upcoming events.  

Employment law in Asia Pacific 2026

Our APAC annual employment law forecast summarises the major legislative developments and key trends across 16 jurisdictions in the region in 2025 and emerging trends employers should consider as they plan for 2026.

UK Employment Rights Act

Implementation of measures under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) has begun with measures simplifying industrial action processes, extending ballot validity, reducing notice requirements, and strengthening dismissal protections for striking workers taking effect from 18 February 2026. The government is consulting on implementation of other ERA reforms, including flexible working, fire‑and‑rehire restrictions, and tipping rules. A revised implementation timeline has been published with fire‑and‑rehire restrictions delayed to January 2027 and staged roll‑out of wider reforms throughout 2026 and 2027.

Developments in the US

In the US, the Department of Labor unveiled a proposed rule that would rescind the Biden administration's 2024 independent contractor regulation and replace it with an analysis similar to the framework adopted in 2021 during the first Trump administration; the National Labor Relations Board formally reinstated its 2020 rule governing when a company is deemed a joint employer under labor law; and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued new telework guidance for the federal sector. While applicable to federal agencies, the guidance may be instructive for private employers navigating return-to-office issues and responding to requests for remote work.

Gender pay transparency in Italy

Italy has published draft legislation to implement the Gender Pay Transparency Directive, covering all core Directive obligations and applying to public and private employers, including permanent, temporary, agency, domestic and Co‑Co‑Co workers. The draft requires pre‑employment pay transparency, including salary information in job postings and a ban on salary‑history questions. It also defines 'same work' and 'work of equal value' by reference to national collective agreements, using objective, gender‑neutral criteria.

For information on gender pay transparency in 45 countries across the world, access the most recent edition of Gender pay transparency: A global guide to reporting obligations.  

Attend our upcoming events

Join our Q1 Global Employment Briefing webinar on 17 March and  webinar on the EU Forced Labour Regulation on 18 March. And join us in person in Dublin on 12 March for our conference on restructuring.

Our Spring programme of International Employment Law Training is now available to register. Delivered by local employment lawyers, our half day workshops provide practical guidance on employment law and best practices for those managing the challenges of entering, operating in, or exiting a country. Courses cover 13 jurisdictions, including Germany, France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and the Nordics. Find out more here.