Requiring a minimum pension amount for allowing early retirement is not contrary to Article 4(1) of Directive 79/7 even if it puts female workers at a particular disadvantage, provided that this is justified by legitimate reasons of social policy which are not related to gender discrimination.

A host state must grant a Union citizen a reasonable period to find a job.

The Supreme Court of Greece has clarified that the validity of terminations is not affected by the lack of consultation with the employees’ representatives, as per Directive 2002/14/EC on a general framework for informing and consulting employees. In case of non-compliance with such obligation, alternative administrative or judicial measures can be provided by the Member States. It further reiterated that the expediency and necessity of the company’s business decision to suddenly interrupt its plant operation cannot be subject to judicial control.

Legislation which reserves dock work to recognised workers may be compatible with EU law if it is aimed at ensuring safety in port areas and preventing workplace accidents. However, the intervention of a joint administrative committee in the recognition of dockers is neither necessary nor appropriate for attaining the objective pursued.

Various of our academic board analysed employment law cases from last year. However, first, we start with some general remarks.

A period of stand-by time according to a stand-by system is not, in its entirety, working time unless the constraints imposed on the worker very significantly affect his or her ability to manage, during that period, his or her freetime.

Payment of an allowance only to workers with disabilities who have submitted disability certificates after a date chosen by that employer may constitute direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of disability.

The prohibition to ‘take up a position’ within the meaning of Article 22(a)(1)(a) of Directive 2006/43 includes concluding an employment contract, even if the employee has not yet begun to actually perform his or her duties in that post.

This case involved an employer who claimed that a trade union organised an unlawful warning strike. The Curia (the highest judicial authority in Hungary) found that the trade union violated its obligation to cooperate with the employer according to Act No. 7 of 1989 on Strikes. The Curia and also the Regional Courts made some clear points on the question of the timing of a warning strike. The employer must be notified of a planned strike in sufficient time, which requirement also applies in the case of warning strikes. The time can be considered as sufficient if the employer is able to fulfil its rights to protect its property, prevent damage resulting from the strike, to carry out its duties to protect life and property, and to organise work accordingly. Failing this obligation, the warning strike is unlawful. The notice shall state the date and time that such action will commence.

Member States may authorise partial access to certain healthcare professions subject to the automatic recognition of professional qualifications; however this applies to the professions but not the professionals benefiting from automatic recognition, who should have full access to the activities covered by the corresponding profession in the host Member State.

Section 5 of Chapter II of Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2012 also apply if an employee in one member state was recruited to work in another member state, even though that work was not performed for a reason attributable to that employer. They preclude the application of national rules of jurisdiction in respect of an action irrespective of whether those rules are more beneficial to the employee.