The Workplace Rights Other Countries Have That the UK Still Lacks

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-28

You might think the UK is a leader in labor laws, but the reality is we're falling behind in several key areas. While the 2025 Employment Rights Act is a big step forward, it doesn't cover everything. Let's look at ten workplace rights from around the world that put the UK to shame. ### France: The Right to Disconnect France made it law in 2017 that employees have the legal right to "disconnect" from work emails and calls outside of working hours. Companies with 50 or more employees must negotiate specific times when staff can be contacted. Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal have similar laws. Australia's version, effective August 2024, even bans employers from punishing workers who ignore after-hours messages. The UK only offers the 48-hour average working week under the Working Time Regulations. ### Brazil: 13th Month Salary Brazil's "décimo terceiro salário" has been a constitutional right since the 1960s. Employers must pay an extra month's wages each year, split into two mandatory installments. This is a legal wage, not a bonus, and is owed pro-rata even if you're fired. Other countries like Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and most of Latin America have similar policies. The UK has nothing comparable. ### Spain: Paid Menstrual Leave In 2023, Spain became the first European country to introduce menstrual leave. Workers with medically certified incapacitating periods can take paid time off, funded by the state from day one. The UK has no such law, but it's a hot topic in parliament. ### France: Mandatory Commute Reimbursement French employers must reimburse at least 50% of their employees' public transport season tickets for the home-to-work commute. This covers all staff, including part-timers and trainees. No UK employer is legally required to subsidize commuting. ### Canada: No Interview 'Ghosting' In Ontario, Canada, it's illegal for employers to ghost candidates after an interview. Companies with over 25 employees must notify candidates within 45 days whether they got the job. Failure to respond can result in fines up to CA$100,000 (around $73,000 USD). The UK has no comparable law. ### Germany: Board-Level Employee Representation German law requires large companies with over 2,000 employees to give workers half the seats on their supervisory board. Companies with 500-2,000 employees must reserve one-third of the seats. This ensures workers have a voice in top-level business discussions. The UK has nothing like it. ### Netherlands: Right to Request Reduced Hours The Dutch Flexible Working Act allows employees at firms with more than 10 staff to request fewer hours, different working patterns, or flexible schedules. Employers must consider these requests seriously and can only refuse for valid business reasons. The UK has a similar right but it's less flexible. ### Japan: Mandatory Overtime Pay Japan's labor law requires employers to pay overtime at a rate of 125% to 150% of the normal hourly wage for work beyond 40 hours per week. There's also a cap on overtime hours. The UK has no such mandatory overtime premium. ### Sweden: Paid Parental Leave Sweden offers 480 days of paid parental leave per child, with 90 days reserved for each parent. Parents can take leave until the child turns 8. The UK offers 52 weeks of maternity leave but only 2 weeks of paternity leave. ### Denmark: Flexible Working Hours Denmark has a culture of flexible working hours, with many companies offering "flexitime" where employees can choose their start and end times within certain limits. This is not mandated by law but is widely practiced. The UK is catching up but still lags behind. These examples show there's room for improvement in UK labor laws. While the 2025 Employment Rights Act is a good start, we could learn a lot from other countries.