Category:

Workplace/Employee Benefits

German companies not allowed to check on employees’ vaccine status

But Germany has strict data privacy laws because of its history of Nazi and Communist state surveillance of citizens, meaning that companies have no right to find out about health issues relating to their staff.

German businesses have been pushing to be able to ask staff about vaccination and the government is trying to get more people to get the shots as infections rise again. Almost 61% of the population has had both shots and 65% at least one.

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Health Ministry partners with Google to enhance people’s access to COVID-19 vaccine

Starting this week, for over 13,000 locations across the country, people will be able to get more helpful information about vaccine availability and appointments — powered by real-time data from the CoWIN APIs (application programming interfaces). This includes information such as availability of appointment slots at each center, vaccines and doses offered (dose 1 or dose 2), expectations for pricing (paid or free) and the link to the CoWIN website for booking.

The above information will automatically show up when users search for vaccine centres near them, or in any specific area – across Google Search, Maps and Google Assistant.

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Uber proposes industry-wide gig worker benefits model in Canada

Uber said it advocates for benefits funds everywhere, but added that labor laws, social safety nets and different cultures meant it would pursue a different approach in every country, with Monday’s proposal tailored to Canada.

Gig companies have long been criticized for the lack of benefits and protections they offer their independent contractor workers. Many labor unions, some lawmakers and the Biden administration have said gig workers should be reclassified as employees.

The companies have also faced several lawsuits in Canada and the United States alleging worker misclassification.

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Majority of corporate employees want to work from home at least once a week: Survey

Among other findings, 91 per cent of the respondents favoured flexible working hours. Stating that the priorities of the workforce have undergone a shift, the consultant said corporate employees want an empathetic employer and work-life balance, more than a comfortable salary. The pandemic has prioritised working in an environment that puts health and well-being at the forefront.

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Covid 19 Pandemic: Almost 1 in 3 affected due to work stress, ICICI Lombard survey

Sanjay Datta, Chief – Underwriting, Reinsurance & Claims, ICICI Lombard General Insurance , said, “With the transformed perception of the masses, our consumer base today looks at a health insurer not only for financial immunity during times of ill-health but we are now looked up as a partner in their holistic wellness journey. Additionally, through this survey, we observed a mindset change taking place with 47% of people and 42% of the younger age group (25-35 years) wanting to adopt a healthy lifestyle to not just get a better appearance but also feel better about themselves. Therefore keeping overall wellness as a focus, ICICI Lombard intends to act as a conduit towards a health-conscious India.” 

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Alibaba fires 10 for leaking sexual assault accusations

The Alibaba incident this month shone a spotlight on criticisms that Chinese women are overlooked, objectified or forced to take part in male-dominated rituals like drinking with clients, then brushed aside when reporting abuse. It coincides with intense government scrutiny on issues ranging from exploitative and monopolistic behavior to the abuse of low-wage workers.

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The hybrid work revolution after Covid-19 is already transforming economies

While a more permanent transformation of working life will have painful consequences for many inner-city businesses, economists see a recalibration underway that can revitalize smaller towns and suburbs. New digital tools mean that retail and hospitality — as well as knowledge-intensive industries — are already undergoing far-reaching change.

Working from home around one day a week will boost productivity by 4.8% as the post-Covid economy takes shape, according to a recent study of more than 30,000 U.S. employees co-authored by José María Barrero of Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and others. Much of that one-off increase is projected to come from reduced commuting time, a factor not usually captured by economists.

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China spells out how excessive ‘996’ work culture is illegal

The Supreme People’s Court and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security published a lengthy essay Friday about labor violations and unreasonable overtime, labeled ‘996’ because of the common practice of working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. It outlined 10 cases — including but not limited to the tech industry — in which employees were forced to work extra hours, or put in harm’s way.

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 QubeHealth partners with OboPay to launch 0% pre-approved medical credit for corporate employees

The product has been rolled out to a select group of 150 large companies employing over 1,50,000 people in India, as part of their Employee Health Benefits program and activated across 735 towns/cities.

Chris George, CEO & Co-Founder of QubeHealth, says, “Employee-Healthcare is now center-stage conversation for companies across India and HR teams have wanted to provide a comprehensive solution to their team’s families as they navigate their way through the pandemic. By facilitating emergency healthcare funds on tap, at no cost of capital, Employees will now have the flexibility to make better healthcare choices and augment any company-paid health insurance.”

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