Global Workforce and Mobility Opportunities and Risks ogletreedeakins
Global Workforce and Mobility: Opportunities and Risks . ogletreedeakins. com Presented By: Bernhard Mueller (Columbia, SC)
Agenda n Types of Assignments, Basic Terms – Business Considerations n Legal issues implicated by these moves: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Business Considerations Immigration Law Employment Law Contract Law Benefits Taxes (payroll and corporate) n Ancillary Documents n Ending the Assignment n Questions Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Legal Considerations Implicated by All Mobility Assignments Business n n n Business Issues and Corporate Structures Immigration Employment Laws Contractual Matters Benefits Tax Consequences Employment Law Contract Terms Benefits Tax Immigration Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Non-U. S. Employment Law Principles n n n No at-will employment Leave and other myriad entitlements Procedural rights for discipline Notice and severance rights for termination Hiring quotas for certain minority categories Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
You kidding me? That can’t be right! Netherlands Terminations require either (a) a permit or (b) “urgent cause” (employer must prove) and immediate notification to the employee Spain Employer must give written notice of the grounds for dismissal – and can’t rely on any after-acquired grounds China Employer is required to enter openended contract after 10 consecutive years of service or two consecutive fixed-term contracts Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Business Considerations n Types and Duration of Assignments l l n Outbound Inbound Short Term Long Term Business Need for Assignments l l l Executive leadership Training Taking on customer contract Exploring new market Events Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Options for a Workforce Abroad § Second US employee to host-country entity § Hire localized employee to host-country entity § Engage independent contractor § Use host-country staffing agency Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Secondment: What is it? n U. S. company and a host-country entity enter into an agreement where a U. S. employee will temporarily become an employee of the host-country entity. n Host-country entity is usually, but not always, a corporate affiliate. n Host-country entity is responsible for compliance with local laws. n U. S. entity often reimburses host country’s expenses in connection with employing the individual. Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Secondment: Pros and Cons Pros n If entity already exists, no costs of setup n U. S. employment law is more likely to stick to relationship n More likely to maintain at-will status Cons n If no local entity (e. g. distributor, reseller, commercial agent) exists, cost of setting up entity n Risk of permanent establishment for U. S. entity
Secondment: Documents Needed n n n Secondment Agreement between U. S. entity and host country entity l Spell out which entity is responsible for what l Transfer pricing arrangements Underlying employment agreement Expatriate Agreement or Letter of Assignment l Choose U. S. law to apply to disputes l Where possible, place burden on employee to comply with local laws (e. g. regarding taxes and immigration) l Spell out benefit entitlements, including any special expatriate benefits l Include what happens after assignment ends Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Option 2: Hiring Local Employees Pros n Clarity of legal obligation n No risk of permanent establishment for U. S. parent Cons n Cost of setting up subsidiary (if none exists) n Host country employment laws apply
Local Employees: Documents n Employment agreement – written contract required in many countries n Make sure compliant with local laws n Note that some countries require contracts to be in local language and/or bilingual (and local language version trumps) Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Option 3: Independent Contractor Pros n Less monetary investment n Less legal involvement (if properly classified) Cons n Less control n Risk of misclassification n Jurisdictions scrutinize these arrangements (China) n Smaller talent pool
Consider Independent Contractor Relationship where: n The host country does not permit employees without a host country entity in place n The host country permits independent contractor relationships (or client understands and is willing to take the risk) n The relationship is actually one of an independent contractor n Arrangement is experimental or temporary n Company has no desire to make substantial investment in the particular country n The contractor won’t have access to your confidential information Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Independent Contractor Drafting Tips n Similar considerations to U. S. domestic agreement l l l n Use appropriate title (“Independent Contractor” or “Consulting” Agreement) Establish and emphasize the parties’ understanding of independent contractor status Avoid exerting control over the means by which the work is performed Avoid providing tools and equipment Avoid requiring exclusivity Payment considerations: l l l How to pay? Which currency? If possible, use invoicing. Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Laws Protecting Contractors Spain Contractors devoting 75% of time to one client have annual leave rights (18 days) France Company must make withholdings and deductions similar to employers for a certain category of self-employed freelancers Australia “Fair Work Act” protects independent contractor’s right to associate (trade unions) Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Option 4: Temporary Staffing Agency Pros n Minimal administrative burden n Compliance with local law is in the hands of the agency Cons n Can be costly n Less control n Some legal risk that temporary employees have same rights as recipient company’s employees (e. g. China) n Quality and availability varies by country
Consider a Staffing Agency Where: n The local entity does not permit independent contractor classification n Opening a subsidiary is not desirable n Hiring multiple host-country employees Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Staffing Agency: Drafting tips n Documents needed l Temporary employment agreement (between staffing agency and employee) l Contract with staffing agency (e. g. , “Services Agreement”) n Clearly place burden of compliance on service provider to the extent permissible under applicable law n Include indemnification n Make clear to employee that service provider employs employee Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Temporary Staffing Agency- pitfalls n Outsources employment obligations to local company n BUT this is not a failsafe - Potential liability where service provider makes mistakes n AND some countries are cracking down on this practice Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Immigration Considerations n n n Most countries require visa for entry All countries, including US, require specific work authorization foreigners Accompanying spouse often not allowed to work Can be quite time-consuming and costly Requires planning well in advance of assignment Frequently overlooked or delayed in the expat planning process Business Immigration Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Visas for Expats—Critical, Fundamental, Practical Issues n Vet the following issues before deciding to proceed with an international assignment: l l Entity: Does the employer have an entity in destination country? Feasibility Timing Limitations on business visitor status & work activities (Don’t forget: Spouses) Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Employment Law Considerations n Example: Swiss employee sent to U. S. for a two-year assignment n How to address Swiss vs. U. S. employment agreement and relationship n Choice of law considerations n Mechanisms for reducing risk to Employer Business Employment Law Immigration Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Key Contract Terms for Expat Agreements n n n Compensation: amount, source, assignmentrelated payments and benefits as distinct from ordinary compensation Working hours, holidays Data privacy Choice of law provision Identify legal employer Limits on employee’s right to represent host company Application of policies, procedures and benefits Contingencies: e. g. , work permit requirements Termination provisions relating to the assignment Prohibition against duplicate benefits Other market benefits Business Employment Law Immigration Contract Terms Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Assignment-Related Discretionary Benefits Long Term Expat n n n Pre-assignment visit Shipment of personal effects Housing: temporary accommodation and long-term Relocation allowance Business Cost of living allowance Work permits for family members Employment Immigration Tuition Law Travel stipend Language training Health insurance coverage Tax equalization Reduce/eliminate overtime Benefits Contract Terms Short Term Expat n Housing, travel Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Tax Considerations n Permanent Establishment l Treaty or local law n n n Bilateral Tax Treaty Fixed Place of Business Contract Authority Business Employment Law Contract Terms Benefits Tax Immigration Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Tax Considerations n Permanent Establishment l l l Inbound/outbound Impact of maintaining foreign employment agreement on U. S. permanent establishment risk Short term/long term n n l “Deemed services” provisions in tax treaty India, China, Indonesia Authority to “Conclude Contracts” for Home Company Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Tax Considerations n Payroll taxes l Treaty or local law n l l n Inbound/outbound Short term/long term Social Security l n 183 days in any 12 month period Totalization Agreement How to manage l l Split payroll Shadow payroll Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Additional Documentation n Additional Documentation Affecting the Assignment l Agreements with Host Country Affiliates n Intra-Company Agreement n Intra-Affiliate Agreement l Confidentiality Agreements l Restrictive Covenants l Tax Equalization Benefit Agreement l Expat/Relocation Benefits Policy Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
End of Assignment Issues n Address in the international assignment agreement n End of assignment/end of employment relationship n Return/localize n Relocation benefits n Reassignment n Severance Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
Happy to answer any questions Bernhard Mueller Ogletree Deakins Law Firm International Practice Group bernhard. mueller@odnss. com (803) 227 -0844 Atlanta / Austin / Berlin / Birmingham / Boston / Charleston / Charlotte / Chicago / Cleveland / Columbia / Dallas / Denver / Detroit Metro Greenville / Houston / Indianapolis / Jackson / Kansas City / Las Vegas / London / Los Angeles / Memphis / Mexico City / Miami Minneapolis / Morristown / Nashville / New Orleans / New York City / Orange County / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Pittsburgh / Portland / Raleigh Richmond / San Antonio / San Diego / San Francisco / St. Louis / St. Thomas / Stamford / Tampa / Torrance / Tucson / Washington, D. C. www. ogletreedeakins. com
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