Indonesia Issues Safety Guidelines for Businesses Post Lockdown

Dezan Shira & Associates

• On May 20, 2020, Indonesia’s Ministry of Health issued Decree 228/2020, which provides safety guidelines for businesses after the lockdown ends.
• The measures include requiring all employees to wear masks and implement social and physical distancing.
• Businesses should also prepare procedures on how employees can identify suspected COVID-19 symptoms and the steps to report them to the authorities.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Health issued Decree No. HK.01.07/MENKES/328/2020 (Decree 228/2020) on May 20, 2020, which provides safety guidelines that offices and industrial workplaces should implement once the lockdown period comes to an end.

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Expatriant

Gaining a Russian Residence Permit and Citizenship Working as a Qualified Specialist

Today, one of the easiest ways to obtain residency in Russia indefinitely is to work as a qualified specialist. As of February 2020, the Russian government has approved a list of 135 “qualified specialist” professions, which they deem essential to Russia’s continued economic and cultural development. Foreign citizens who come to Russia to work in one of these professions are allowed to obtain a residence permit after 6 months of working officially in any of the professions from the list.  Interestingly, the Russian government is also offering a fast track option to gain Russian citizenship for these professionals as well. 

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A Survey by CT Executive Search in partnership with the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce 

The ongoing pandemic has changed the way business is being done globally. This includes working conditions and the current state of the HR industry. As COVID-19 continues to transform the workplace, what does the future hold in terms of “The New Normal” of working?

CT Executive Search conducted a global survey, in partnership with the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, to get answers to questions regarding:

• Terminations;
• Remote working;
• Salary cutbacks;
• Work processes after COVID-19.

Business owners, Vice presidents, General managers, Directors, and other employees from 75 companies with offices in several countries gave their feedback on HR-related issues during COVID-19.

View Survey results

Christian Tegethoff, Managing Director, CT Executive Search

What is an advisory board and what does it do?

As the name suggests, an advisory board is a committee with a purely advisory function. Unlike the management, an advisory board has no decision-making powers. In contrast to supervisory boards, advisory boards also have no formal control function. Advisory boards have no governance tasks or legal responsibilities. This means that companies are free to compose their advisory boards as they please. There are no rules as to who can join an advisory board, how often the board meets, and what issues it deals with. Formal elections, term limits, and disclosure of advisory board remuneration are not required.

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Dr. Alireza Azimzadeh, Persia Consulting and Persia Financial

How popular are advisory boards in Iran? How do they usually operate?

Advisory boards are not particularly common in Iran as a distinct institution. However, the typical functions of an advisory board - mainly advising and establishing contacts – are carried out differently.

The boards of directors and supervisory boards of Iranian companies are often staffed with more people than in other countries. One reason for this is that some of these directors perform tasks that are covered by advisory boards in other countries.

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Dr. Frank Schauff, Honorary Council Member and outgoing CEO, AEB 

What specific tasks were associated with your advisory mandates?

At Expobank, I worked as an independent member of the supervisory board, in an advisory role. My agenda at Expobank was heavily influenced by financial issues. The quarterly meetings of the supervisory board dealt with the financial situation of the bank, such as credit risks or accounting issues. In addition, of course, there were also strategic questions, such as answers to the crisis of 2014 and 2015. There were also issues in the area of corporate management.

For me personally, the area of government relations also played a role, especially, after the acquisition of subsidiary banks in the Czech Republic and Latvia.

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An update from bnt attorneys in CEE

An overview of measures adopted by the Slovak government to support employers. 

In order to maintain employment, the Slovak government adopted several measures in April to support employers, self-employed persons and citizens without income. Each of the five measures determines who is the entitled applicant, as well as the amount of the subsidy and the conditions for granting it.

Under Measure No. 1, employers (including self-employed persons) who have had to close down their business as a result of the decision of the Public Health Authority may apply for compensation for the employees' salary up to 80% of their average wage. The maximum amount paid by the state for an employee is EUR 1,100.

Read the complete update here. 

An article from BEITEN BURKHARDT

After long negotiations between the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Finance as well as VCs and start-ups, the matching fund for start-ups is finally a done deal!

The official press release of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) can be found here. The corresponding statement of the German Start-ups Association (Bundesverband für Deutsche Start-ups) can be found here.

The following has been decided:

• In addition to the measures implemented so far, the government is making a total of EUR 2 billion available to support start-ups.
• Both start-ups that are already VC-financed start-ups and those that are not will be eligible for support.

Read the complete article here.

An article from BEITEN BURKHARDT

On 22 April 2020 the grand coalition agreed on an increased short-time working allowance and thereby distributed generous presents. What does that mean?

Initial situation

Short-time working allowance, as a payment out of unemployment insurance, is intended to compensate for the loss of earnings suffered by employees as a result reduced working hours. During a period of short-time working, employees receive ‑ for the work they actually perform ‑ the corresponding remuneration on a pro-rata basis. In addition, employees receive short-time working allowance for the reduction in working hours. The short-time working allowance is calculated on the basis of the net loss of earnings. It generally amounts to 60% of the standard net remuneration (remuneration for services rendered, pauschaliertes Nettoentgelt). 

Read the complete article here. 

ASEAN briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

ASEAN coronavirus updates (Live updates by country)

Brunei: No new cases reported in Brunei.

Cambodia: No new cases reported in Cambodia.

Indonesia: A further 395 new cases were reported on May 4, bringing the total to 11,587.

Laos: No new cases reported in Laos.

Singapore: Singapore recorded 573 new cases on May 4, taking the national total to 18,778.

Vietnam: As of May 4, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed a total of 271 cases of COVID-19. However, 219 of the affected patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

Read the complete update here. 

Vietnam briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

• Vietnam has issued Resolution No. 42 to help employers and employees affected by COVID-19.
• The Resolution consists of a financial package targeting six individual and business types.
• The incentives are the latest to help the economy recover and support businesses once the pandemic ends.

Vietnam on April 9 issued Resolution No. 42/NQ-CP (Resolution 42) to help individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Resolution consists of a financial package for those affected by the pandemic and targets six categories of individuals and businesses. 

Read the complete article here. 

China Briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

Since March 28, 2020, China has suspended the entry of most foreign nationals, citing the temporary measure as a response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world.

This means that foreigners who hold the following visas are currently not allowed to enter the country:

• Chinese visa;
• Residence permit;
• APEC business travel card; and/or
• Port visa (including various visa-free transit policies).

Due to these new travel restrictions, which so far have presented no expiration date, many foreign nationals who hold a residence permit in China for working purposes are stuck outside of China during this time.

Many companies are now grappling with new HR, legal, and tax uncertainties that have arisen within their foreign employment relationship in the context of these new travel restrictions.

Read the complete article here. 

Vietnam Briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

• The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing businesses to rethink efficient strategies for remote work.
• Businesses now have to rely on digital infrastructure to keep their systems up to date, while managing an increasing number of employees working from home.
• We highlight some guidelines that businesses can adopt as businesses transition for remote work.

With the current outbreak of COVID-19 throughout the globe, businesses are having to consider how to effectively utilize their employees under the situation where physical contact between individuals is being restricted to a very high degree. 

Read the complete article here. 

An article by Expatriant

Salaries

Entry-level sales and marketing salaries for native English or German speakers tend to start at a similar level as teaching. That is, you can expect to earn USD 800 as an entry-level copywriter, content marketer, or in international sales. If you have extensive experience, you can do quite well in Ukraine by local standards. For skilled marketers and sales professionals, you can earn USD 5000+ per month.

The next category of workers I would consider highly qualified. These are your CEO, President and Vice President level employees. Generally, if a company needs a foreigner to fill these positions, they will approach locally managed executive search firms. They won’t be posted on typical job boards. Salaries will be very lucrative, and range from USD 10,000 – USD 50,000+ per month. This, of course, depends on the industry, and size of the company.

Read the complete article here. 

Vietnam briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

Vietnam continues to prioritize infrastructure investment and does not shy away from looking at countries outside ASEAN to fuel its growth. The government has also invested in industrial zones and this investment is expected to further increase as foreign investment pours in. These reasons have made Vietnam one of the fastest growing economies in Asia maintaining a 7 percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019. In addition, Vietnam’s labor force is a competitive advantage and is an important part of Vietnam’s future economic growth. Vietnam is known for its young, hardworking, literate and easy to train workforce.

Access the publication here. 

CEE Newsletter from bnt attorneys in CEE

New regulations for the employment of foreigners in Germany

It will now be easier to employ qualified employees even without a university degree. At the beginning of March 2020, the Specialist Immigration Act came into force. It newly regulates the education and employment of foreigners and facilitates the immigration of qualified employees to Germany.

Access the e-newsletter here. 

India briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

Navigating the work from home model can be difficult, especially for businesses that have no experience with remote operations. Therefore, it is important that management along with the legal and HR department come up with a set of guidelines for their employees to make the transition from being physically in office to remote collaboration smoother.

Here is a list of best practices that businesses in India can refer to while operating remotely. These tips will ensure smooth business operations and well-being of the employees. Follow the latest India COVID-19 updates here.

Read the complete article here.

ASEAN briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

The government has vowed to continue implementing prudent macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to further enhance the ease of doing business and improve the country’s investment climate. These include issuing various tax incentives as well as widening the number of positions open to expatriate workers.

An Introduction to Doing Business in Indonesia 2020 covers the following:

• Corporate establishment;
• Tax and accounting; and
• Human resources and payroll.

Access the publication here. 

Short news from BEITEN BURKHARDT

As part of measures to support the economy, the Russian Government issued Decree No. 409 dated April 2, 2020 introducing a tax deferral.

The right to apply the tax and insurance payment deferral for a period from 3 to 6 months is granted to small and medium-sized enterprises in the industries, which have been most affected by the spread of the coronavirus infection. At the same time the deadlines for the filing of tax returns have been extended. In addition, the said enterprises have been granted a moratorium on field tax audits.

Read the complete update here. 

ASEAN briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

Working from home

The government has stipulated three approaches to working from home. These are:

• The temporary closure of the business with employees working from their respective homes;
• The temporary reduction in working hours, the number of employees working, and reduction in business operations; or
• Businesses that are unable to fulfill the previous two obligations because they have a direct impact in relation to vital sectors, such as health services, energy, food and beverages, among others.

Read the complete article here. 

Vietnam briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

COVID-19 has resulted in an inevitable global shutdown frustrating businesses, investors, supply chains and Human Resource (HR) functions.

What started out as limited business disruption due to the low number of cases has now affected most if not all businesses. While Vietnam has controlled the pandemic relatively well, the government on March 31 issued Directive No. 16/CT/TTg – its strongest measures yet on social distancing nationwide until April 15. The directives also states that factories and businesses providing essential goods can remain open.

Two major concerns of our clients in Vietnam are labor shortages, and disruptions to supply chains.

Read the complete article here.

China Briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates

While the COVID-19 outbreak poses a short-term challenge for businesses, in the medium- to long-term it may actually provide the catalyst for companies to adopt the remote working concept, supplemented by the wide range of technology tools already available to increase worker efficiency. Indeed, it may herald the final nail in the coffin for the “traditional industries” – bricks and mortar retail, the leasing of physical office environments, and even offline consumer banking.

Read the complete article here.

HR updates from Christian Tegethoff, Managing Director, CT Executive Search

Whether you are applying for an entry-level job or are being invited to fill a position in senior management, everyone gets to sit on the other side of the interview table. 

So what questions should you expect when being interviewed for a senior level position?

CT Executive Search specializes in the recruitment of candidates to executive positions in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Hence, many of our recruitment experts are often approached by potential candidates looking for advice on what to expect during the interview process. 

So here is a list of the most likely questions you should get ready to answer when applying for an executive position.

Read the complete update here.

Short news from BEITEN BURKHARDT

Labour law issues

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing companies to adopt measures to protect the health of their employees and continue operations. Quarantine requirements and limitations on the time spent in offices and business trips complicate the standardisation working process and compliance with the requirements of labour legislation. Accordingly, we recommend that employers consider implementing flexible work models. In particular, the ideal solutions would be remote working and the Home Office/Remote Work regime.

• Both options may be introduced for a specific time period and subsequently extended.
• To introduce both regimes, supplemental agreements to employment contracts must be concluded, while the establishment of the Home Office regime also requires the adoption of an internal regulation.

Read the complete article here. 

An update from Christian Tegethoff, Managing Director, CT Executive Search

In the current situation, we get a lot of questions from companies and candidates. We would like to answer the most common of them in this information sheet.

Are companies still recruiting managers in the current situation?

All of our mandates that started prior to the pandemic and the resulting restrictions have been continued. So far, none of the ongoing executive searches have been discontinued or interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, we are observing that new executive search assignments are being postponed because companies have a considerable need for internal clarification and coordination.

Manufacturing companies are struggling to keep up business because of extensive and ever-changing travel restrictions as well as the closure of kindergartens and schools. In addition, there are the challenges arising from the partial switch to working remotely. 

Read the complete update here.