Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce the release of Employment Law Basics in Southeast Asia. This publication serves as an indispensable resource for businesses navigating the complex landscape of employment law in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Authored by Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional team of employment law specialists, the guide provides a detailed overview of key employment law topics essential for businesses operating or planning to expand their operations in Southeast Asia. From employment contracts to termination procedures, each topic is examined in depth to ensure businesses are well-equipped to comply with local regulations and protect their interests. Key topics covered in the guide include: Employment contracts Probationary period Minimum wage Social security and statutory payments Working hours Leave and holidays Work rules Termination Foreign employees Data protection Remote work AI and automation Our guide offers multinational corporations establishing a presence in the region and local enterprises alike practical insights and actionable advice tailored to the unique regulatory environments in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. To access the full guide, please download the PDF below.

Intellectual property experts from Tilleke & Gibbins were engaged by ARISE+ IPR, a regional support program funded by the European Union and implemented by the European Intellectual Property Office, to craft a series of IP enforcement guides for Southeast Asian countries, aimed at raising local awareness of the importance of IP protection. The five-year, EUR 5.5 million ARISE+ IPR program supports regional integration through IP cooperation and aims to upgrade national IP systems for creation, protection, utilization, administration, and enforcement to be in line with international best practices and standards and the strategic objectives of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Action Plan 2016-2025. The guides were developed by Tilleke & Gibbins’ lawyers in cooperation with the IP offices of each participating country, and cover issues related to trademarks, industrial designs, and geographical indications. Each guide was produced in a compact leaflet form in English as well as the local language, and is considered an official publication of the respective national IP office. The guides can be accessed from the ARISE+ IPR site (under “Leaflets, brochures and booklets”), or by clicking on the links below: Cambodia: English | Khmer Indonesia: English | Bahasa Indonesia Thailand: English | Thai Vietnam: English | Vietnamese

Multilaw has published the latest edition of How to Hire and Fire, a guide to the rules and regulations governing employment relationships in over 90 jurisdictions around the world. Lawyers at Tilleke & Gibbins prepared the Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam chapters of the guide, which covers the following main topics: General principles: Forums for adjudicating employment disputes, main sources of employment law, employees working for foreign companies in Cambodia or abroad for domestic companies, and data privacy. Hiring the employee: Legal requirements for employment agreements, types of agreement, secrecy and confidentiality, ownership of inventions and other IP rights, pre-employment considerations, hiring of non-nationals, hiring specified categories of individuals, and outsourcing and sub-contracting. Maintaining the employment relationship: Changes to the contract, changes in business ownership, social security, accidents at work, discipline and grievances, harassment, discrimination, equal pay, compulsory training obligations, offsetting earnings, maternity and disability leave, insurance, absence for military or public service duties, trade unions, employee strikes, and employers’ liability for actions of employees. Firing the employee: Procedures for terminating employment agreements, instant dismissal, employee resignation, termination on notice, age-related termination, force majeure automatic termination, collective dismissals, termination by agreement, directors and senior officers, rules for companies facing financial difficulties, restriction of future activities, whistleblowers, garden leave, severance payments and tax considerations, allowances, and time limits for post-termination claims. General: Specific matters unique or important to each jurisdiction. Multilaw is a global network of carefully selected, independent law firms consisting of over 10,000 commercial lawyers in more than 100 countries, able to provide expert legal advice in complex environments around the globe. The full guide is available for free on the Multilaw website.