The country’s multi-party coalition government agreed to a series of labour reform plans, and it is expected they will be enacted into law later in 2022....
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Employees in Belgium will soon have the right to opt for a 4-day workweek, and also have the right to ignore any work-related messages or devices while off the clock, without fear of reprisal from their employers. The country’s multi-party coalition government agreed to a series of labour reform plans, and it is expected they will be enacted into law later in 2022.
Many countries have begun exploring the possibility of a 4-day workweek, including Japan, Spain, and Scotland. Belgian employees who opt into the 4-day workweek would be required to work for 38 hours total, meaning that each day will feature slightly longer hours than a normal 5-day workweek. Any Belgium employee that wants a 4-day workweek must request it and will be given a 6-month trial. Once the trial ends, they can choose to extend the shortened workweek or opt out from it.
These birds are being recruited to pick up discarded cigarette butts from the streets and squares of a Swedish city as part of a cost-cutting drive. The crows carry out the task as they receive some food for every butt that they deposit in a bespoke machine designed by a startup in Södertälje, near Stockholm.
More than 1bn cigarette butts are left on Sweden’s streets each year, representing 62% of all litter. Södertälje spends 20m Swedish kronor (£1.6m) on street cleaning.
Günther-Hanssen estimates his method could save at least 75% of costs involved with picking up cigarette butts in the city.
Södertälje is carrying out a pilot project before potentially rolling out the operation across the city, with the health of the birds being the key consideration given the type of waste involved.
Compiled by SG
