10 Workplace Rights the U.S. and U.K. Still Don't Have

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-28

When the 2025 Employment Rights Act rolled out in the U.K., starting with the removal of the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay in April, it felt like a big deal. And it is—it's the most significant overhaul of British workplace law in decades. It boosts job security, expands family rights, and gives workers more breathing room. But here's the thing: even with these changes, the U.K.—and the U.S., for that matter—still lags behind many other countries when it comes to worker protections. You might think of the U.S. and U.K. as leaders in labor law, but the truth is, other nations have quietly built far more generous and flexible systems. So, let's take a look at ten workplace rights that exist elsewhere but are still missing on both sides of the Atlantic. ### 1. The Right to Disconnect (France, Australia, and more) France made headlines in 2017 when it gave employees the legal right to 'disconnect' from work emails and calls outside working hours. Companies with 50 or more staff are required to negotiate specific times when they can't contact you electronically. And they're not alone—Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal all have similar laws. Australia's version, which took effect in August 2024, even bars employers from punishing workers who don't answer after-hours messages. In the U.S. and U.K., there's no such right. You're expected to be reachable, and the only protection is the 48-hour average working week under the Working Time Regulations—which many employees don't even know about. ### 2. A Statutory 13th Month Salary (Brazil) Brazil's 'décimo terceiro salário' has been a constitutional right since the 1960s. It requires employers to pay every formal employee an extra month's wage each year, split into two mandatory installments. This is a legal wage, not a discretionary bonus, and it's owed pro-rata even if you're dismissed. Similar policies are mandatory across most of Latin America and parts of Europe, including Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. In the U.S. and U.K., there's nothing comparable—you're lucky if you get a holiday bonus, but it's never guaranteed. ### 3. Paid Menstrual Leave (Spain) Spain became the first European country to introduce menstrual leave in 2023. Workers with medically certified incapacitating periods get paid time off, with the state funding it from the first day of absence. It's a recognition that period pain can be genuinely disabling. Neither the U.S. nor the U.K. has any such provision, though it's a hot topic in the British Parliament. In the U.S., some states are starting to discuss it, but it's far from becoming law. ### 4. Mandatory Commute Reimbursement (France) No U.S. or U.K. employer is legally required to subsidize your commute. But in France, employers must reimburse at least 50% of the cost of public transport season tickets for the home-to-work journey. This covers all staff, including part-timers and trainees. Imagine saving half your monthly transit pass. That's a real benefit French workers take for granted. ### 5. No Interview 'Ghosting' (Canada) In Ontario, Canada, new laws make it illegal for employers to 'ghost' candidates who've applied for a role. Companies with more than 25 employees must notify candidates within 45 days of their interview about whether they got the job. If they fail to respond, they could face fines up to CA$100,000—that's about $74,000 USD. The U.S. and U.K. have no comparable law. Candidates are often left hanging, which is frustrating and disrespectful. ### 6. Board-Level Employee Representation (Germany) Germany's Mitbestimmungsgesetz requires large companies (over 2,000 employees) to give workers half the seats on their supervisory board. For companies with 500 to 2,000 employees, workers get one-third of the seats. This ensures the workforce has a real voice in top-level business decisions. In the U.S. and U.K., worker representation on boards is virtually unheard of, leaving employees out of key strategic conversations. ### 7. Flexible Working Requests (Netherlands) The Dutch Flexible Working Act allows employees at firms with more than 10 staff to request reduced hours, a different work schedule, or even a different workplace. Employers must seriously consider these requests and can only refuse for valid business reasons. In the U.S., there's no federal right to request flexible work, and in the U.K., you can ask, but employers can refuse fairly easily. ### 8. Paid Parental Leave (Estonia) Estonia offers one of the most generous parental leave policies in the world: 20 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, plus 30 months of parental leave at a high percentage of salary. Fathers also get 30 days of paternity leave. The U.S. is the only developed country without guaranteed paid maternity leave, and the U.K. offers 39 weeks of statutory pay, but it's capped at a relatively low rate. ### 9. Annual Leave That Actually Increases (Austria) In Austria, employees get a minimum of 5 weeks of paid vacation (25 working days), and it increases to 6 weeks after 25 years of service. In the U.S., there's no statutory minimum, and the average is around 10 days. In the U.K., you get 28 days including public holidays, but it doesn't increase with tenure. ### 10. Mandatory Employee Savings Plans (Singapore) Singapore's Central Provident Fund (CPF) requires employers to contribute a significant percentage of each employee's salary into a government-managed savings account. This money goes toward retirement, healthcare, and housing. It's a forced savings plan that ensures workers have a safety net. The U.S. and U.K. rely on voluntary pension schemes, and many workers don't save enough for retirement. So, while the Employment Rights Act is a step forward, there's still a long way to go. Maybe it's time to look at what other countries are doing and start borrowing some of their best ideas.