China Staff articles

Recent articles from China Staff

Risky choices in expedited M&A: the time available for due diligence has been slashed significantly. HR faces tough decisions in identifying priorities while having to avoid mistakes.(mergers and acquisitions)(Cover story)
April 1, 2009... Due diligence in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has never been more perilous. There is simply not enough time to ascertain all the facts before signing the deal anymore. This is largely a result of the global credit crisis, which has produced a steady supply of failing companies for...

Learning from the recent Cathay Pacific lawsuit: despite the definition of wages provided by the Employment Ordinance, identifying whether particular types of payments constitute wages is still far from straightforward, as shown by the latest Cathay Pacific case. Minter Ellison discusses the lessons learned.(Hong Kong Employment Watch)
April 1, 2009... Q: We have recently read in the news about the Labour Tribunal decision which involved claims made by Cathay Pacific flight attendants. Can you tell us more about the decision, particularly the implications of the decision in relation to our calculation of payments for our employees? A:...

Work stops, but pay continues: Beijing's minimum salary standards dictate the extent to which companies can reduce employees' pay during a halt in production. Graham Brown and Wei Xin shed light on employers' rights and obligations in these circumstances.(Labour Law Forum)
April 1, 2009... Q: Our company is located in Beijing. Our sales have declined sharply due to the global economic crisis, and we are now facing serious difficulties with our production. Under these circumstances, can we simply reduce our employees' salaries? We may have to suspend our production in the...

Salary control measures across China.(Data Page)(Survey)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
April 1, 2009... About two-thirds of the participants have plans control compensation costs, and the most prevalent practice is to control OT salary. About 16% of participants have applied a salary freeze, and 3.7% of them have applied a salary cut. Compared with other industries, auto and semiconductor...

January bonuses defy credit crunch.(Hong Kong News)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... A survey of 125 companies by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resources Management found that 61 percent paid staff a bonus in January despite the financial crisis, reported The Standard. Of the 87 respondents, 44 gave a guaranteed bonus to staff, with an average of one month's salary...