Week in review
BetaHaus in Berlin provides the perfect alternative work environment
Photo: Harald[ha75]/Flickr
This week: The EU attempted to unify the rules of arrest; Hungary got a case of the economic blues; And the office of the future...we took you where no employee has boldly gone before.
The right to know your rights
In an effort to help European citizens understand their legal rights, the EU has issued a proposal to standardise the rules of arrest across the bloc.
With 37 million Europeans taking holidays each year in neighbouring EU countries, some unlucky individuals get in trouble with the law.
According to the new proposal, any citizen arrested would be given a letter in their native language informing them of their rights.
The letter, drafted in 23 different languages, would address important points such as the rights to a lawyer and the rights to hear what the charges are being made are.
Although all these things are guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, many people panic during an arrest and the EU Commission believes this is way to reducing problems.
No silver lining for Hungary
Hungary faces trying times as the country’s currency, the forint, suffered a major drop on Monday, after talks with the EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF) came to a standstill.
In 2008, the IMF offered Hungary a 20 billion euro emergency bailout, on condition that Hungary implemented tough austerity measures to reduce its budget deficit in return.
Now, the new Budapest government has decided to place a higher tax on banks, saying it intends to keep the agreement but it willl do it in its own way... and not the way the IMF tells it.
It is not known whether talks will resume at a later date, but for now, a grey financial cloud continues to loom over Hungary's head.
The 9-to-5er’s dream
Traditionally, working from home is seen as a dream come true.
But imagine an office environment that provided free communal breakfasts, offered round-the-hour flexibility and big open workspaces that gave you the opportunity to meet your fellow co-workers.
BetaHaus in Berlin is the name; an alternative working environment is the game.
At BetaHaus, individuals from various careers who generally work from home are able to purchase a day, weekly or month ticket that provides access to all the fun perks on offer.
BetaHaus was just the first of many of these alternative workspaces to start popping up all over Europe. The basic elements of the concept make it so successful; providing a workspace that meets the needs of a new generation of flexible freelance workers, all while retaining the attractive aspects of traditional office.
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