HR and future of work · Industry brief

Royal Decree 723/2026 transposes an EU directive requiring employers to provide workers with detailed information on essential employment terms including pay, working time, leave, algorithmic systems, collective agreements, probationary periods and termination procedures. Spain has also enacted Royal Decree 606/2026 establishing an Independent Authority for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination to protect workers across multiple grounds including race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. Additionally, Royal Decree 607/2026 updates rules for performers and technical workers in audiovisual and musical arts, expanding the special employment relationship to include auxiliary staff, counting all production stages as working time, regulating work for those under sixteen, and establishing specific probationary periods and harassment protections.

Argentina's government approved Decree No. 407/2026, establishing a new regulatory framework for Temporary Staffing Agencies (ESEs) that significantly expands permissible use cases. Beyond replacing permanent employees during absences or leaves, temporary workers may now be assigned for business and social events, activity increases, urgent safety work, and extraordinary needs unrelated to ordinary business operations. The regulation explicitly includes temporary staffing for technology implementations, system changes, and business reorganizations—circumstances not previously authorized. However, the framework maintains safeguards requiring the number of temporary workers to be reasonable relative to permanent workforce size, assignment duration appropriate to the temporary need, and equivalent compensation to permanent employees in the same category and seniority. Source: Allende & Brea legal analysis.

Cal/OSHA has approved significant changes to employer first aid requirements, effective January 1, 2027, shifting from a physician-approved supply model to a hazard-based approach. General industry employers must now establish clear first aid kit content requirements (following ANSI Z308.1-2021 Class A standards or healthcare professional guidance), improve accessibility through signage and communication, and conduct workplace evaluations to determine specialized supply needs based on specific hazards. Construction employers face similar requirements with added operational responsibilities including kit verification and visibility measures. The regulations require employers to assess workplace hazards—including chemical exposures, heat-related illnesses, and trauma risks—to determine appropriate kit numbers and contents, with compliance preparation including hazard assessments, updated emergency action plans, and injury prevention plan reviews.