In order to promote the health of employees and prevent workplace accidents, the Hungarian Government had significantly increased the fines for the breach of occupational health and safety rules as of 1 March 2024. The rule on its amount was removed from the applicable act and its details were laid down in a government decree.

According to the Hungarian Government's spring 2024 legislative program, the Hungarian Parliament may decide on the introduction of a “European minimum wage” as early as this spring session. The EU minimum wage directive highlights the importance of European social dialogue frameworks in reaching agreements on minimum wages among Member States.

Former CEE Attorneys Managing Associate Madalina Ivan has recently announced the launch of her new law firm in Bucharest: Madalina Ivan Business Attorneys at Law.

At the end of January, the Ministry of Finance invited representatives of business associations to submit their views regarding the possibility of a reform aiming to increase the progressivity of salary taxation. The Ministry emphasized that the framework for the change refers only to salary tax and not to contributions for mandatory social insurance, as well as that any proposals should produce effects that are de minimis budget neutral, both at the level of the entire economy and at the level of local governments.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (the “Court of Justice of the EU” or the “Court”) delivered a judgment, on 20 February 2024, in Case C-715/20 (K.L. v X sp. z o.o.), in which it ruled as follows:

The waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, although hitting the population quite hard, served as an impetus for employees seeking refuge in home office.