Promoting and protecting LGBTQI+ diversity in the workplace

17 May was the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia established in 2007 by the European Union. The chosen date commemorates 17 May 1990, the day on which the WHO removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses, declaring it ‘a natural variation of human behaviour’.    The topic concerns labour law, due to the legal ban ondiscrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identityboth during the hiring process…

Rewarding employees: new clarity on benefit plan rules in Italy

The Italian Tax Authority has released new guidance clarifying how employers can use benefit packages to reward employees. In particular, the Authority has ruled that plans cannot be used to reward individual performance but only to retain employees and distribute company profits.  Employee benefit packages have a growing impact on companies’ management of their resources and local tax authorities have to deal with the fiscal impact of these packages more and more. The Italian Tax Authority (Risoluzione n….

Infection in the workplace and employers’ liability: a view from Italy

As employees return to work in Italy, this article tackles the issue of employers’ liability when an employee contracts coronavirus and when the infection will be a ‘workplace accident’. Resumption of economic activities in Italy started partially on 4 May and will be completed in the upcoming weeks, unless there is a sharp increase in infections. It will involve several measures that employers will have…

Italy introduces new health, safety and economic support measures to manage the coronavirus epidemic

Italy has put in place a range of new measures to contain the COVID-19 virus and provide economic support.  A Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers (DPCM) approved on 22 March 2020 saw the Italian government introduce further measures for the containment and management of the COVID-19 health emergency. These measures will apply nationwide. The government’s further intervention became necessary in view of the latest developments in the…

Italy: New mechanism for employers to encourage retirement introduced

A new legal measure designed to encourage employees to retire has been introduced in Italy. This article sets out a description of how this new instrument works for employers and employees. Italy has implemented a pension reform in recent years, which has increased the state pension age in order to improve the system’s sustainability. Under the current rules, from 1 January 2019, the retirement age is 67. In addition,…

Italy: New rules on bank remuneration policies

Italy’s updated regulations on pay and bonuses in the banking sector aim to increase the regulation of economic incentives, in order to discourage bank employees from exposing banks and the wider economy to excessive risk. This article sets out the main elements of the new rules and possible difficulties with their implementation. It also provides views on the issue of pay in the financial services sector…

Italy: Protecting women from ‘dismissal for marriage’ is not discriminatory

The Italian Supreme Court has confirmed that the protection from dismissal offered solely for women employees in the period around marriage does not constitute discrimination. The Italian Supreme Court of Cassation recently confirmed its opinion that the prohibition on dismissing an employee during the period from the date of publication of marriage banns to the first anniversary of the wedding (known as ‘dismissal for marriage’)…

Italy: new government revives extraordinary wage subsidy for companies in crisis

A measure recently reintroduced by the new Italian Government gives companies in crisis who have wholly or partially ceased trading the opportunity to apply for financial support to guarantee employee wages. This article sets out the details and conditions of the revived provision. In a Decree Law effective from 29 September 2018, the new Italian Government has reintroduced the possibility for companies that cease their business…

Italy: buy-back clauses now part of the football player transfer system

From June 2018 the so-called ‘buy-back right’ (diritto di recompra) became part of the football player transfer market in Italy, after it was incorporated into the domestic organisational rules of the Italian Football Federation (NOIF). Buy-back rights are governed by Article 102 of the NOIF under which football clubs can include an option in a transfer agreement in favour of the selling club, giving it the right to buy…

Italy: ‘Dignity Decree’ introduces new restrictions on fixed-term contracts

Newly enacted legislation in Italy limits fixed-term contracts, increases indemnities for unfair dismissal and addresses relocation of international business outside Italy. By enacting the so-called ‘Dignity Decree’, which entered into force on 14 July 2018, the newly elected Italian Government took significant steps to reverse changes to the law on fixed-term contracts, partially liberalised by its predecessors. The Decree has also increased the indemnities payable…