Austria, Mongolia Social Security Agreement in Effect
The bilateral social security agreement between Austria and Mongolia entered into force on 1 August. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection confirmed the effective date once both countries had completed their internal procedures.
The agreement determines which country’s social security legislation applies to cross-border work, helps prevent double contributions, and coordinates statutory pension rights. While the agreement provides a clearer framework for cross-border employment, protection is not automatic. Employers must document the applicable legislation and ensure that payroll complies with it.
In general, these social security agreements, together with bilateral tax treaties, govern how to process global mobility workers, depending on local rules and regulations for operationalising it. Staying current with developments in this area when you have a mobile and distributed workforce is essential to ensuring compliance.
New Dutch Self-Employed Persons Act
“Can I safely hire this self-employed person?” This has been a frequent question for companies in recent years.
This is not because they [companies] don’t want to work with self-employed individuals. On the contrary. But there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the classification of employment relationships in the Netherlands. When is someone truly self-employed, and when does it turn out, in hindsight, that an employment contract was in place after all?
That uncertainty has consequences. Incorrect classification can lead to additional payroll tax assessments and fines for a client, among other things. We see the result in practice: organizations are becoming more cautious about hiring self-employed individuals.
Knowing Where You Stand in Advance
On 1 October , the online consultation for the Self-Employed Persons Act began. The goal sounded promising: greater clarity for both self-employed individuals and clients.
This is still a draft bill. To that end, the bill introduces two tests: the self-employment test and the employment relationship test.
But above all, it is hoped there is an end in sight to an issue that has been preoccupying clients and self-employed individuals for about 10 years.
Read the full article, originally published by Littler Mendelson P.C., to learn the key features of the draft law.
Canada’s Northwest Territories Increases Minimum Wage
On 1 September, Canada’s Northwest Territories raised the minimum wage to CA$17.20 per hour from CA$16.95 per hour. The Government of the Northwest Territories confirmed that the CA$0.25 increase reflects changes in consumer prices and average hourly wages in 2025.
The new rate represents an increase of approximately 1.5%. For an employee working 40 hours per week at the minimum wage, the change adds CA$10 to gross weekly pay. Over a full year, this amounts to CA$520 before accounting for overtime, holiday pay, statutory holiday pay, and other employment costs.
If a pay period spans the effective date, employers must ensure that hours worked on or after 1 September are paid at the new rate.
The annual adjustment formula gives employers a reasonably predictable date for future minimum wage changes. Employers should include 1 September in their annual payroll compliance calendar and monitor the official minimum wage page for each year’s confirmed rate. The hourly increase may seem modest, but missed effective dates can quickly lead to wider payroll corrections across regular pay, overtime, and other wage-linked calculations.