Listen to this post

Reductions in force (RIFs) are rarely straightforward—especially for multinational employers. Navigating conflicting labor laws, benefits obligations, cultural expectations, and logistical hurdles requires strategic planning and coordination to stay compliant and minimize disruption. 

In this video chat, our Employment and Compensation attorneys unpack the legal and practical challenges of RIFs inside and outside of the US. They explore requirements under the US federal WARN Act and state mini-WARNs, and dive into mandates abroad—especially in Europe and LATAM, where collective consultation and government approval requirements can stall dismissals. The team also tackles discrimination risks, severance obligations, and benefits pitfalls, offering practical tips to help employers manage RIFs effectively, wherever they operate.

Click here to view the video.

Listen to this post

Tune into our annual Global Employment Law webinar series as we bring the world to you.

Our Global Employment Law Fastpass webinar series is here again! Every June, we offer four regionally-focused webinars to help you stay up-to-speed on the latest employment law developments around the world. From tariffs and economic uncertainty to the use of AI in HR, new leave laws, and increased regulatory scrutiny, for multinational employers, navigating the path forward is like solving a Rubik’s cube and demands foresight and strategic thinking.

In this four-part webinar series, our Baker McKenzie Global Employment Law teams from Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa will outline material employment law changes, unpack the trends unfolding in their local jurisdictions, and arm you with practical tips to steer your organization forward with confidence.

In each 60-minute discussion, our on-the-ground lawyers from 23 different countries will provide:

  • A quick look at the socio-political climate and what that means for employers
  • An overview of recent material employment law changes
  • Pragmatic pointers for how organizations can be agile in each country (whether that means ramping up and engaging workers, or shifting gears and downsizing or exiting); and
  • Insights into trending claims and litigation, including best practices for mitigation and avoidance.

Register Today!

Registration Details

ASIA PACIFIC | Wednesday, June 4
3 pm PT/ 5 pm CT/ 6 pm ET
Australia, China, Japan, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam
Click here to register for the APAC webinar.

EUROPE | Wednesday, June 11
9 am PT/ 11 am CT/ 12 pm ET
Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and the UK
Click here to register for the Europe webinar.

THE AMERICAS | Wednesday, June 18
10 am PT/ 12 pm CT/ 1 pm ET
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and the US
Click here to register for the Americas webinar.

THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA | Wednesday, June 25
9 am PT/ 11 am CT/ 12 pm ET
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye and the UAE
Click here to register for the MEA webinar.

To view these programs in a different time zone, click here. 
Please “register” for a copy of the recording and materials if you are unable to attend live.

CLE Accreditation

1 hour of CLE accreditation pending for each webinar (live attendance only).

Listen to this post

While we do not often report on proposed legislation, two provisions in the bill the House Ways and Means voted out of Committee on May 14th (and which was voted out of the House Budget Committee on May 18th) are worthy of attention, as they reflect how two of President Trump’s campaign promises are beginning to take shape. Sections 110101 and 110102 of the Ways and Means Committee’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” would give certain workers an above-the-line deduction for “qualified tips” and “qualified overtime compensation” for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and ending for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2028. Assuming the effectives dates relate to the service provider’s returns, and most service providers have a calendar year return and are on the cash method of accounting, the deduction would apply to tips and overtime paid in 2025 through 2028. This means the deductions are proposed to be retroactive and proposed to apply to amounts paid even before enactment of the bill.

As an above-the-line deduction, service providers will be able to directly reduce their gross income, whether they itemize or take the standard deduction, by the amount of the qualified tips or overtime. Making this deduction available to the worker creates reporting and withholding obligations for the service recipient, as discussed in more detail below. 

In order to be deductible as qualified overtime compensation, the payment must be overtime paid as required under section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act that is in excess of the regular rate (as used in that section) at which such individual is employed. Qualified overtime compensation does not include any amount treated as a qualified tip.

In order to be deductible, qualified tips generally must be paid voluntarily to a person who works in an occupation which traditionally and customarily received tips on or before December 31, 2024. The Secretary of the Treasury is directed to provide a list of occupations that traditionally and customarily received tips in 2024 and before. As proposed, the deduction for qualified tips applies for both employees receiving a Form W-2, and independent contractors receiving a Form 1099-K or Form 1099-NEC, and includes amounts reported by the business on Form 4137. Those whose personal business provides services in accounting, health, law, actuarial science, athletics, brokerage services, consulting, financial services, or the performing arts would not be allowed to claim the tip deduction. In the case of tips received in the course of a trade or business, the deduction is proposed to be limited to gross receipts from the business less costs of goods sold and expenses allocable to such receipts. The Secretary of the Treasury is directed to prescribe regulations to prevent abuse of the deduction and reclassification of income as tips.

Continue Reading No Tax on Tips and Overtime Campaign Promises Take Shape in “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”
Listen to this post

Trade secrets give tech companies a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving landscape, where success depends on the ability to innovate. The unauthorized acquisition, use, or disclosure of trade secrets can result in significant loss and disruption, making it essential for organizations to have robust safeguards in place to protect their trade secrets. Here, we explore clear steps organizations can take to manage and mitigate risks with a focus on trade secret identification and the role of employees in trade secret protection.

Mission Critical: Protecting Tech Trade Secrets

Fast-paced developments

The technology sector continues to experience huge transformation with emerging technologies and advancements in AI. Companies are investing heavily in developing capabilities, and new services and products. Rapid innovation and desire to be first to market, has caused trade secrets to become an increasingly preferred method of protection over other types of intellectual property regimes, such as applying for a patent, which can be costly and raise complex timing considerations. Trade secrets can protect algorithms, processes, datasets, customer lists, and more. The trade secrets of companies at the forefront of AI and other tech innovation are highly valuable.

Expanding threat landscape 

Threat actors are leveraging tech advancements to steal vast amounts of company information through more sophisticated and efficient attacks. Heightened internet usage increases hacking risks from competitors, foreign governments and hacktivist groups.

AI developments currently require high computational power, concentrating progress in large tech companies. However, the competitor landscape is changing, with many start-ups and established companies building applications within the AI technology stack, alongside new players entering the AI frontier race. The demand for tech talent with the skills to drive innovation is at all-time high, making trade secret protection critical.

In the past few years, tech companies have also been especially susceptible to the public disclosure of confidential internal documents by employee activists motivated by non-monetary factors.

Legal remedies

Legal frameworks for protecting trade secrets have become more robust and varied across jurisdictions. Injunctive relief (to prevent use of trade secrets and reclaim them) is an essential tool in trade secret breach cases. Victims may also pursue financial remedies, such as damages.

Organizations should lay the groundwork to maximize their options in the event of breach. Penalties for trade secret theft include fines and imprisonment for criminal offences, and even economic sanctions. These penalties broaden the options available to victims, provide an avenue that avoids some of the practicalities of enforcement from a business point of view, and serve as a powerful deterrent. 

“One factor making effective action against employee trade secret theft more difficult is that employees increasingly use personal devices or personal messaging apps to capture or transmit work-related information; companies’ ability to access employees’ personal devices and communications through personal messaging apps is limited.
Jonathan Isaacs, Head of China Employment Practice, Hong Kong

“As tech firms compete to attract and retain tech talent while adjusting their workforces for future business growth, employee movement has increased, making the protection of trade secrets from competitors more crucial than ever. Baker McKenzie’s international depth in handling these complex competitor trade secret disputes around the globe allow us to better advise our clients and allow them to leverage our worldwide industry experience in this field.
Bradford Newman, Chair of North America Trade Secrets Practice, Palo Alto

Continue Reading Top Strategies to Safeguard Tech Trade Secrets
Listen to this post

The immigration policies of the Philippines, Vietnam, and the US are evolving due to shifting political, economic, and social dynamics, creating unique challenges for employers. The Philippines has tightened its process for employing foreign nationals, introducing new rules which prioritize Filipino citizens and skill transfer from foreign employees. In Vietnam, recent government restructuring has caused temporary disruptions in work permit applications, further complicating the country’s already stringent process. And though the US has not seen significant changes in employment-based immigration legislation, other federal policy shifts are impacting employers’ ability to bring new employees into the country.

Join our Global Immigration and Mobility attorneys as they examine immigration trends in these countries and offer key insights for employers navigating the current complex landscape.

Click here to listen to the Mobility Minute.

*Captions are automatically generated. We apologize for any typos or errors.

Listen to this post

On 2 February 2025 the first deadlines under the EU AI Act took effect. This included the AI literacy provisions, responsibility for which will likely be with HR teams and the ban on prohibited AI systems. What do these and other upcoming changes under the Act mean for in-scope employers?  

In this webinar, our multijurisdictional panel will share their insights on how the new legislation reshapes the existing legal landscape.

Together, they will provide practical tips and examples progressing from an overview of the key provisions of the Act for employers before taking a deeper dive into some more complex areas and finishing with a practical case study. Some of the areas covered include:

  • Applicability of the AI Act: exploring the scope of the new legislation including identifying prohibited and high risk AI practices in the HR sphere.
  • Key obligations of employers including addressing the requirements already in place, managing liability risks in AI-driven processes at the intersection of AI and the GDPR and anticipating the required standards of human oversight where this applies.
  • Employee representative involvement including the varying works council information, consultation and, in some cases, co determination rights across EU jurisdictions.

The webinar will take place on Tuesday, 27 May 2025 at 15:00 BST / 16:00 CEST and is scheduled to run for one hour. If you reside in a different time zone and wish to verify your time – please see timeanddate.com for the time in your location.

We will use Zoom as the presenting platform for this webinar. Click here to register. Please forward this to any of your colleagues who may be interested.  

Listen to this post

With nearly two-thirds of U.S. companies mandating formal return-to-work policies, employers may face challenges in enforcing RTO practices. Multinational employers should be aware of five key considerations and practical solutions to avoid potential roadblocks.

Click here to continue reading this article.

Original article published in Law360.

Listen to this post

Singapore, Australia and the US are taking distinct approaches to immigration policies, each with significant implications for employers. Singapore is balancing the attraction of highly skilled foreign talent with the need to prioritize local workers, potentially through stricter regulatory measures. In contrast, Australia’s new visa program has expanded opportunities for foreign talent by allowing more occupations and requiring less work experience, and its existing program has cleared a more direct pathway for employer-sponsored permanent residency. In contrast, the US is adopting more restrictive measures, increasing immigration enforcement and shifting DOJ priorities to protect US workers from discrimination.

Join our Global Immigration and Mobility attorneys in our latest Mobility Minute video chat as they explore these trends, potential pivots, and key considerations for employers navigating the complexities of the current landscape.

Click here to listen to the Mobility Minute.

*Captions are automatically generated. We apologize for any typos or errors.

Listen to this post

The two largest global economies-the US and China-stand in stark contrast with their current immigration policies. The US is moving towards restrictive measures, potentially hindering employers’ efforts to recruit and relocate foreign talent. China has taken a more open approach, resulting in a significant increase in foreign national travelers and policies streamlining work authorization for foreign national employees. But even China’s welcoming stance may not be sufficient to lure back foreign nationals to work long-term as trade wars and geopolitical tensions could cast a shadow over business with the outside world. In this Mobility Minute video chat, our Global Immigration and Mobility attorneys delve into the current immigration landscape in China and the US, discussing potential shifts that could impact employers in the near future and offering key considerations for navigating the present climate in both countries.

Click here to listen to the Mobility Minute.

*Captions are automatically generated. We apologize for any typos or errors.

Listen to this post

Click here to play a video preview.

In 2025, the world continues to grapple with an unprecedented array of challenges. In this complex landscape, employee activists across industries increasingly make unreasonable demands which the impacted company cannot meet, while taking and leaking sensitive and confidential company trade secrets to garner internal and external sympathy for their campaigns. 
 
Please join our Trade Secrets team on April 8 for a webinar exploring this rapidly evolving issue. We will discuss:

  • How to prepare ahead of time for an activist campaign
  • New strategies specifically designed to safeguard confidential information in this scenario and minimize risk
  • Steps to prevent/ manage disruptions and reputational risks
  • Novel measures designed to catch actual leakers of corporate confidential information.

We hope you are able to join us for this enlightening session. This webinars will not be recorded given the nature of the subject matter we will cover.

Date: Tuesday, April 8
Time: 2:00 – 3:00pm ET

Click here to register.

CLE: 
This program has been approved for 1.0 general California CLE credit, 1.0 general Illinois CLE credit (IL PCAM # 617804), 1.0 cybersecurity, privacy & data protection (general) New York CLE credit and 1.0 general Texas CLE credit (TX Course # 174251849). Participants requesting CLE for other states will receive Uniform CLE Certificates. Baker & McKenzie LLP is a California and Illinois CLE approved provider. Baker & McKenzie LLP has been certified by the New York State CLE Board as an accredited provider in the state of New York. This program is appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted New York attorneys. Baker & McKenzie LLP is an accredited sponsor, approved by the State Bar of Texas, Committee on MCLE. 

**While credit may be pre-approved in certain jurisdictions, final CLE accreditation approval is anticipated, but not guaranteed.