In today's digital age, social media has become a ubiquitous presence in our personal and professional lives. For employers, these platforms offer a valuable yet complex tool in the hiring process. While the potential to gather additional insights about job candidates is enticing, it also raises significant legal questions regarding privacy and data protection.

In this article, we address the issue of the redistribution of working hours, specifically the conditions and limitations for its introduction and application within a single calendar year.

Startups are keen to use motivational tools like the Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP). These programs do not burden the company with the economic cost of paying additional cash compensation. This way, startups can preserve their cash flow, which is especially sensitive during the initial stages of business development. Simultaneously, such programs effectively motivate employees, who have an interest in increasing the value of the company, as they become its co-owners. For this reason, the cap table of almost every startup today includes an entry for an option pool. However, not every founder wants or can commit to permanently transferring part of the company to employees. In such cases, the Phantom Stock Option Plan (PSOP) presents an interesting alternative.

In a bid to enhance legal competitiveness, a new legislative proposal aims to streamline regulations in environmental protection, waste management, consumer rights and workplace safety, boosting the competitiveness of domestic businesses. The proposal is currently under public consultation, but it already highlights several key changes that may be of interest to various sectors.

In recent weeks, the Slovak Parliament has approved two laws that could substantially increase labour costs for employers in Slovakia. One amendment to the Minimum Wage Act raises the automatic determination rate of the minimum wage, while another introduces a new contribution to cover sports activities for employees' children.

CMS Partners Daniela Kroemer, Dragana Bajic, Tomasz Sancewicz, and Katalin Horvath discuss the growing role of AI in HR across CEE and delve into its current applications, regulatory challenges, and the broader impact on workplace dynamics.