1. Hiring & Firing
Around the World
Avoid Legal Tripwires in the Top
Countries for Global Expansion
Andrea Dumont | Senior Vice President of Marketing
Globalization Partners

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ANDREA DUMONT | SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
• Over two decades of B2B and B2C marketing experience at
high-growth startups and Fortune 500 companies.
• Forward-thinking leader focused on product differentiation,
leading market position and sales enablement.
• Featured in HR Executive, HR Magazine, Employee Benefit
News.
• Sought-after speaker at events such as Conference Board,
Society for Human Resource Management, and
WorldatWork.
WEBINAR | GLOBALIZATION PARTNERS

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FRANCISCO MENDEZ
SR. MANAGER GLOBAL OPERATIONS
WEBINAR | GLOBALIZATION PARTNERS
JUSTIN HILL
SR. MANAGER GLOBAL OPERATIONS
• Extensive HR and finance experience, from labor law to
payroll to employee relations.
• Lived in Argentina and Brazil, currently based in Mexico,
focused on Latin America.
• Over 10 years international business and expansion
experience.
• Has onboarded hundreds of employees in countries
around the world.

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Learn more about our services, the countries where we
operate, and our team at:
globalization-partners.com
Globalization Partners’ Global Expansion
Platform™ enables you to hire in more than 170
countries within days, and without the need to set up
costly international subsidiaries. You identify great
talent anywhere in the world, and we put them on our
fully compliant global payroll—lifting the burden of
global corporate tax, legal and HR matters from your
shoulders to ours.
WEBINAR | GLOBALIZATION PARTNERS

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GROWING GLOBALLY
THE FRONTLINES OF CHANGE

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WHY ARE BUSINESSES
GOING GLOBAL?
#1. It’s about winning the war for
talent.
• Access a larger talent pool.
• Offer competitive global salaries.
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WHY ARE BUSINESSES
GOING GLOBAL?
#2. Access a new market and reach
a new audience.
• Get real-time data on what’s
working in a new market.
• Don’t wait for a consultancy
report: go hands-on.
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WHY ARE BUSINESSES
GOING GLOBAL?
#3. Enjoy operational and financial
benefits.
• Generate revenue around the
clock.
• Take advantage of business-
friendly tax policies.
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WHAT ARE BUSINESSES
LOOKING FOR IN NEW
MARKETS?
• Thriving business ecosystem and
an emerging market
• Diverse, skilled workforce
• Strategic market entry
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WHERE ARE BUSINESSES
GOING GLOBAL?
Our data shows five top countries:
• Canada
• UK
• Singapore
• Mexico
• China
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WHAT WE’VE LEARNED
AVOIDING THE TRIPWIRES

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THREE TRIPWIRES TO AVOID
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Hiring Compliantly
• You can’t hire anyone,
anywhere without an entity
• Don’t fall into the
contractor trap
• Employment law is very
different country-to-
country
Managing Effectively
• Time zones and language
barriers can become
obstacles
• Communication styles must
be understood
• Managers must understand
country-specific customs
Terminating Legally
• At-will employment doesn’t
exist outside of the U.S.
• Routine U.S. terminations
become complex
internationally
• Termination laws differ
greatly on notice periods
and severance packages

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TRIPWIRE #1
HIRING COMPLIANTLY

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THE PROBLEM:
YOU CAN’T HIRE ANYONE,
ANYWHERE.
• Step One: set up an entity in the
target country.
• Step Two: hire compliantly
according to local employment
law.
• Step Three: maintain compliance
over time.
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CAN I HIRE INTERNATIONAL
CONTRACTORS?
• Risks often outweigh the benefits.
• Misclassification leads to hefty fines,
back taxes, and potential audits.
• Go the employment route to attract
the best talent.
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GETTING OUT OF THE
CONTRACTOR TRAP
• Decide to bring contractor risk under
control and identify the best path
forward: entity setup or employer of
record (EOR) model.
• Put together competitive salary and
benefits packages according to
market rates.
• Prepare for a detailed negotiation.
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EMPLOYMENT
LAW ACROSS
CONTINENTS
• Bonuses and benefits packages
• Vacation policies
• Data and privacy
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EMPLOYMENT LAW | BONUSES & BENEFITS
• Mexico: annual bonus known as
Aguinaldo
• China and Singapore: 13th month
bonus
• UK: pension plans are the priority
• Canada: supplementary healthcare is
normal

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EMPLOYMENT LAW | VACATION POLICIES
• UK: 28 days of paid vacation
• Mexico: 6 days of paid vacation
during year one
• Singapore: 14 days is standard
• Canada: 2-4 weeks
• China: no vacation in year one, slowly
increases over 20 years

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EMPLOYMENT LAW | DATA AND PRIVACY
• Laws like GDPR limit an employer’s
ability to legally require background
checks or ask a candidate questions
unrelated to job function.
• Singapore also has strict employee
privacy laws.

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HOW CAN YOU AVOID TRIPWIRE #1?
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Count the Costs
• Get the full scope involved
with setting up a subsidiary,
and explore other options
Beware the Contractor
Trap
• You can move quickly and
still avoid the contractor
trap
Get an Expert on the
Ground
• Invest in local employment
law expertise

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TRIPWIRE #2
MANAGING EFFECTIVELY

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THE PROBLEM:
KEEPING EMPLOYEES
ENGAGED
• Time zones and language differences
can present challenges.
• Every person has a preferred
communication style.
• Global team managers must
understand cultural norms across
their team.
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KEY INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL TEAM
• It starts with building trust.
• 68% of employees on global teams
say their companies struggle some of
the time to understand local practices
and cultures.
• Managers must lead the charge on
learning and educating team
members, and prioritize inclusion.
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WORK LIFE
AROUND THE
WORLD
• Probationary periods
• Communication and engagement
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• UK: No law, but 3 months is
customary
• Mexico: 30 days
• China: Up to 6 months
• Canada: 30 days to 6 months
• Singapore: 3 to 6 months
WORK LIFE | PROBATIONARY PERIODS

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WORK LIFE | COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT
• Mexico: long-term relationships,
face-to-face interactions
• UK: verbal communications versus
email only
• Singapore: direct communication,
but no “no” answers from
employees
• Canada: direct, tactful, conflict-
averse, reserved
• China: collectivism as a philosophy,
hard-working

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HOW CAN YOU AVOID TRIPWIRE #2?
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Build a Talent
Management Plan
• Set clear expectations for
every hire, complete with
an onboarding plan
Communicate Early and
Often
• Take the initiative to
communicate more than
you think is required
Take the Time to Learn
from Your Team
• Learn, not just about the
individual’s communication
style, but about the
employee’s culture

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TRIPWIRE #3
TERMINATING LEGALLY

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THE PROBLEM:
YOU CAN’T TERMINATE AT-
WILL
• Employees subject to employment at-
will can be dismissed at any time
without the employer establishing
cause.
• This is a U.S. employment practice and
isn’t found in other countries.
• Routine terminations become complex
quickly in other countries.
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INTERNATIONAL
TERMINATION
LAWS
• Notice periods
• Severance packages
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TERMINATION LAWS | NOTICE PERIODS
• China: 1-12 weeks of notice, illegal to
terminate an employee who is pregnant,
on maternity leave or breastfeeding
• Singapore: 1-4 weeks, though 4 weeks is
the norm
• Canada: “Reasonable” notice or pay in
lieu of notice
• UK: 1-12 weeks
• Mexico: No notice period required,
justified dismissal difficult to prove

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TERMINATION LAWS | SEVERANCE PACKAGES
• China: One month’s salary for each year of
service
• Singapore: None required by law
• UK: PILON, ex-gratia and redundancy
payments
• Mexico: 90 days salary, plus 20 days salary
for every year of service, plus seniority
premium
• Canada: Depends on the province,
minimum of two days’ wages for each year
of employment

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HOW CAN YOU AVOID TRIPWIRE #3?
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Don’t Rush to Terminate
• Rushing to terminate
without seeking counsel is
how most international
termination mistakes are
made
Know and Follow the Law
– It’s Worth It
• Going through the proper
legal process to terminate
internationally will save
time, money and reduce
risk in the end
Don’t Forget the Human
Element
• Never forget that it’s not
just business – part ways
with honesty and care for
the employee

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WHAT WE DO
#1. You find the candidate.
#2. We onboard the candidate.
#3. We take responsibility.
#4. You have a local presence.

36. THANK YOU
Andrea Dumont
Senior Vice President of Marketing
Globalization Partners
@GlobalPeo
@GlobalizationPartners@GlobalizationPartners
Globalization-Partners.com
Globalization Partners: we make global expansion fast and easy.