8.30 – 9.00 – Registration and welcome coffee

9.00 – 9.15 – Welcome remarks

9.15 – 10.15 - Session 1: Future legislation predictions in Europe and beyond

In the aftermath of the world’s biggest cross-border election in June, the political implications for employment and labour legislation across the EU are profound. Amid a shifting political landscape, legal experts will dissect what recent and upcoming election results in Europe and further abroad could mean for multinational employers.

10.15 – 11.15 - Session 2: The race to regulate artificial intelligence

As artificial intelligence continues to permeate various facets of business operations, understanding the regulations surrounding its use is paramount. Legal experts will address growing concerns related to data privacy, discrimination, diversity, accountability, and collective obligations, and delve into Europe’s landmark AI Act.

11.15 – 11.45 – Coffee break

11.45 – 12.45 - Session 3: Demands to balance work and life

In today’s fast-paced, always-on working environments, employers are under ever-greater pressure to achieve a balance between professional responsibilities and personal wellbeing. Legal experts will explore innovative strategies for fostering better work-life balance, including flexible working, shorter working weeks, the right to disconnect, family and caring rights, and unlimited paid time-off, among others. Panellists will also advise on the risks of not prioritising genuine wellbeing initiatives.

12.45 – 2.15 – Networking Lunch

2.15 – 2.45 - In conversation with Joanna Patterson, Senior Legal Director (Global Employment & Labor Law) at Expedia 

A fireside chat with Joanna Patterson to examine the opportunities and challenges of key cross-border trends impacting their multinational business.

2.45 – 3.45 - Session 4: European mobility and the war for talent

With Europe struggling with an ongoing skills shortage, navigating the rules on migrant labour has become increasingly complex. This panel session delves into the legal frameworks governing, and distinct challenges facing, both white-collar and blue-collar migrant talent across the continent. Legal experts will explore recent reforms to the EU’s Blue Card programme and how different countries are vying to win the war for talent, such as through the emergence of digital nomad visas, and examine how employers can mitigate the risk of rising xenophobia impacting foreign talent attraction and retention.

3.45 – 4.15 – Coffee break

4.15 – 5.15 - Session 5: Transparent equal pay for all

Despite significant strides being made, research shows that pay disparities persist across gender, disability, and ethnicity. In this session, legal experts will consider the best practices in ensuring equal pay across different demographic groups, delve into the challenges surrounding pay transparency in multinational organisations, and consider why a rise in large group actions is an existential risk to businesses.

5.15 – 5.30 – Closing remarks

5:30 – Close and networking drinks reception