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In brief

There is no question that the pandemic has changed the future of work. From an increased focus on health and safety to transitioning to permanent (or indefinite) remote work, or preparing for business transformation, companies are facing critical business challenges in regard to their most important asset — their people.


Contents

Key takeaways

How We Can Help

Baker McKenzie’s Employment and Compensation attorneys have unmatched expertise in guiding global employers through uncertain times. We partner with clients to create safe and agile workforce models, tailoring an approach unique to your business to help you maintain business continuity and futureproof your organization.

Workforce Restructuring

Many companies are looking to restructure their workforce as they seek to combat the effects of the pandemic and transform their business models. With extensive experience managing business change and disruption, we help clients through major business changes, whether it be layoffs and redundancies (or other cost-cutting measures) or strategic transactions to align synergies and unlock value.

Agile Workforce Planning

We partner with clients to design bespoke programs for remote working, whether temporary, permanent, in full or in part, as they continue to adjust to the impact of the pandemic. We advise on the numerous legal considerations, including employment, benefits, immigration, corporate tax, data privacy and trade secrets, and we work with clients to develop policies and practices to support working arrangements, and advise on how best to manage risks and remain compliant.

Return-to-Work Multijurisdictional Advice

We provide tailored advice to companies on a wide spectrum of pandemic-related issues like local obligations concerning PPE, temperature checks and testing, health certifications, leave entitlements, data privacy guidance and more. With unparalleled global geographic reach, we are uniquely positioned to offer human resources solutions that are effective worldwide.

COVID-19 Employment Litigation Support

COVID-19-related claims are on the rise. Employers are grappling with a rush of litigation, raising new and novel theories. We provide practical advice to help reduce the risk for your company and defend the company when necessary.

Author

Michael Brewer is the Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie's California offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Los Angeles and Chair of the Firm’s Global Employment & Compensation Practice. A trial lawyer who represents global and domestic clients, Michael has tried class action and single plaintiff employment cases before judges, juries and arbitrators. Super Lawyers has repeatedly recognized Michael for his superior defense of employment claims.

Author

Susan Eandi is the Chair of Baker McKenzie's North America Employment and Compensation Practice Group, head of the Global Employment and Labor Law Practice for North America, and a member of the North America Regional Management Council. She also serves on the Firm's Antiracism Legal Impact Board. Susan speaks regularly for organizations including ACC, Tech GC, Silicon Valley AGC and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Susan publishes extensively in various external legal publications in addition to handbooks/magazines published by the Firm. Susan is a recognized leader in employment law by International Employment Lawyer, The Daily Journal, Legal 500 PLC and is a Chambers-ranked attorney.

Author

Tatiana Garces Carvajal is a lawyer and a specialist in Labor Law, graduated from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with post-graduate studies in Commercial Law from Universidad de los Andes. She has over 30 years of experience advising major clients on matters related to individual and collective Labor Law. For three years, she worked at Alcalis de Colombia, occupying the positions of Director in charge of the HR Department, head of the Legal Division of the Betania Plant, and as a Lawyer in the Legal Department. Previously, she worked as Head of the Personnel Department at AGA Ltda., and as a paralegal at the law firm Esguerra, Gamba, Barrera y Arriaga Asociados. In addition to her experience as professor, lecturer, author of several publications and arbitrator in labor collective disputes, she served as technical adviser to the employers’ delegate for Colombia at the 98th Session of the International Labor Organization in Geneva (2015). She also participated at the 93rd Conference (2009). Currently, Tatiana is a member of the Javeriana University Law School Council representing graduates from Universidad Javeriana. She joined Baker McKenzie Bogotá office in 1992 as an Associate in the Labor Law department and was appointed partner on July 1st, 2000. In 2017 she was appointed as Managing Partner for Baker McKenzie Bogotá office, which made her the first woman in Colombia to hold this position in a law firm. In addition to this position, she led the Employment and Compensation group in Latin America, until June of 2021. In the exercise of these functions, Tatiana was part of the Steering Committee of the Global Employment and Compensation Group, as well as of the Global Policy Committee of Baker McKenzie. Currently, she is part of the Employment and Compensation Steering Committee for Latin America, leads the Bogotá Employment & Compensation practice and as a member at large is part of the Global Employment & Compensation Steering Committee of Baker McKenzie.

Author

George practices trial and appellate litigation. He has been lead counsel before various administrative tribunals and the courts throughout the country, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He represents defendants in high-profile and reputation threatening cases, such as large-stakes labour litigation, fraud and trade secrets litigation, partnership disputes, multimillion dollar employment class-actions, large-issue employment litigation, and prominent administrative and public law issues, including those involving the Charter. George also advises Boards on business critical issues, including financial, regulatory, and executive level sensitive matters.

Author

Leticia Ribeiro C. de Figueiredo joined the Firm in 1998, as a corporate trainee, and became partner in 2013. Until July 2003, she was primarily involved in M&A and Corporate Law, with experience in national and international M&A projects and corporate restructurings. From July 2003 on, she has been working exclusively in the Labor Law practice group.
She has a wide breadth of experience with strategic litigation cases and relevant consultancy in individual and collective matters (i.e. restructuring, equity pay, PDVs – voluntary resignation program, PLRs – participation in profits or results, alteration of compensation plans and benefits), including national and international projects. Additionally, she works with collective bargaining agreements.
Trench Rossi Watanabe and Baker McKenzie have executed a strategic cooperation agreement for consulting on foreign law.

Author

Dr. Bernhard Trappehl chairs the EMEA Employment Practice Group and manages relationships with several of the Firm’s largest clients. He served as managing partner of the Firm’s German/Austrian offices between 2007 and 2012. He frequently speaks at seminars and provides in-house trainings on a wide range of employment matters, and regularly contributes to publications, books, newspapers and law journals.

Author

John Evason manages the employment team in London. He is a specialist employment lawyer advising on all aspects of employment law. He is ranked as a star individual in Chambers and a leading individual in Legal 500. He is a member and former chair of the Legislative and Policy Sub-Committee of the Employment Lawyers Association which provides comments to the UK government on new and amended legislation and regulations. He is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars, and frequently contributes to various legal and personnel publications.

Author

Gil Roberto Zerrudo is a member of Quisumbing Torres' Management Committee, and a partner in its Employment Practice Group. He also co-heads the firm's Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry Group. Gil participates in initiatives of Baker & McKenzie International of which Quisumbing Torres is a member firm. He is a member of Baker McKenzie's Asia Pacific Regional Council, the Global ASEAN Economic Community Focus Group, and Global Policy Committee. Gil has more than two decades of experience advising on various matters relating to employment and labor litigation. He is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in Labor and Employment by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and Chambers Asia Pacific

Author

Michael has more than 15 years' experience as an employment law and industrial relations lawyer, acting for clients in a range of industries, including banking and finance, insurance, health and pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, real estate, media and entertainment, information technology and professional services. He has developed and published compliance programs and best practice policies locally and within Asia Pacific. He is the author and a developer of CCH’s Employment Contracts Manager, a software package that builds and tailors smart employment contracts. He has also authored a large number of chapters in every edition of CCH’s Australian Master Human Resources Guide. Articles written by Michael on employment law topics have appeared in the Melbourne University Law Review, CFO Magazine, Human Capital, Lawyers Weekly, Human Resources, and CCH’s Employment Law Bulletin. He has also spoken at events arranged by the College of Law, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and various professional associations. He wrote and produced “Dismissal Impossible,” a training video on unfair dismissal and sexual harassment, for the Australian Stock Exchange. Michael regularly conducts employment-related litigation before State and Federal courts and industrial tribunals at an original and appellate level.