HR.LAW
The world is changing rapidly – and the world of work with it. As a result, the HR sector faces complex challenges. Matrix structures, human capital management, whistle-blowing, transformation projects, big data, artificial intelligence and crowd working are just a few of the fields that aren’t covered by classic labour law – yet they have either already arrived in the corporate world or will do soon.
FOR THIS SAME REASON, CLASSIC LABOUR LAW CONSULTANCY SERVICES AREN’T ALWAYS WHAT CORPORATE ORGANISATIONS NEED.
HR.Law by ARQIS is an innovative and holistic consultancy concept covering all legal aspects of HR – from employment law and compliance to occupational pension legislation, supervisory law and data privacy. We advise management boards, directors, HR executives and legal counsels, and represent clients in their dealings with authorities, as well as in and out of court. We understand the challenges, bring the necessary expertise to the table and collaborate on solutions. Our approach is interdisciplinary, strategic, added-value oriented, effective and pragmatic.
WE HAVE HR COMPETENCE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
RESTRUCTURING / CHANGE
Our services:
- Advice on operational changes (e.g. restructuring, staff cuts, relocations, operational limitations and plant closures) from the planning phase, through negotiations on interest reconciliation and social compensation plans to protection against dismissal lawsuits
- Preparation and implementation of staff cuts, particularly mass redundancies, set-up of job creation and transfer companies
- Support in outsourcing projects, business transfer solutions, drafting of notifications pursuant to section 613a, para. 5 of the German Civil Code (BGB)
- Support in European company (SE) foundations, negotiation of co-determination agreements
- Preparation and implementation of changes related to collective bargaining law (e.g. employer association membership cancellations or changes, switch-overs to different collective agreements, joint establishment of several companies, changes in corporate legal status)
- Negotiation of company agreements
- Support in the establishment of company-specific co-determination structures at plant and/or company level (e.g. negotiation of wage structure agreements)
Health Care
Our legal experts offer competent advice on all aspects of health care, from labour law in hospitals or care homes to special employment contracts for senior consultants.
COMPENSATION SYSTEMS, PARTICIPATION SCHEMES AND PAY TRANSPARENCY
Regulatory requirements for banks, asset managers and other financial services companies necessitate special supervisory and labour law expertise (including CRD IV/V, the German Remuneration Regulation for Institutions (InstitutsVergVO), the German Capital Investment Code (KAGB), AIFMD and UCITS) when it comes to compensation systems and sound compensation.
LEARN MORE
WORKS COUNCIL COMPENSATION AND PARTNER MANAGEMENT
The compensation paid to works council members is a politically sensitive issue and, in addition to that, the employer and works councils often operate in a legal ‘grey zone’. We support organisations in finding solutions that bridge the very narrow gap between discrimination and preferential treatment.
Cooperation is always better than disunity. ARQIS has an established reputation for its cooperative approach to achieving consensus in negotiations between employer representatives and their works councils, and to ensuring win-win outcomes.
- We advise clients on industrial constitutional law problems, the negotiation of works agreements on a comprehensive range of subject matters and the implementation of any necessary arbitration committee proceedings.
HR Transactions
Numerous labour law and pension law issues arise in the course of a corporate transaction. Remuneration systems collide, a duplication of pension entitlements occurs or a framework social plan unintentionally applies to further employee groups. These issues …
LEARN MORE
LITIGATION
We aim to help our clients avoid litigation. We do this by providing advance in-depth advice to the client, careful negotiation of contracts and agreements and by way of out-of-court negotiations or mediation. However, we never shy away from judicial disputes, in which case you can count on our support, commitment and many years of experience across all judicial instances, before the labour courts and the civil courts.
LEARN MORE
Employee Data Protection
In HR management and controlling it is important to ensure the responsible and professional handling and IT-based analysis of personal data. This particularly applies when analysis and decision processes are automated or digital, for example, if algorithms or artificial intelligence …
LEARN MORE
HR Compliance
There is a clear trend in current court decisions and legislative proposals: compliance is no longer an option, it’s a must …
LEARN MORE
Pensions
Company pension schemes are a long-term and complex salary component that merit special attention for many reasons. The ARQIS Pensions Group provides employers, pension funds and pension consultants with advisory services based on more than 30 years of leading-edge expertise in company pensions extending to all pension-related areas of law (employment law, tax law, social insurance law, accounting law, insurance [supervision] law etc.), and we operate in interdisciplinary and cross-sector networks.
LEARN MORE
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
If you have any questions about the HR.LAW focus group, please feel free to mail us.