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Labour and social regulation

Labour and social regulation covers the legal framework and fundamental social rights that regulates industrial relations, employment and social policies across Europe. It includes national, EU and international legislation.  Union labour law has a direct or indirect impact on the normative and functional frameworks of individual and collective labour law systems of the Member States in a relationship of mutual interference and interaction.  Increasingly Union labour laws are also shaped by agreements that the parties voluntarily enter into and by soft law mechanisms.  The reform or modernising of labour law is currently high on the agenda in several Member States.

Topic

Recent updates

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Hybridná práca v Európe: Koncepcia a prax

Pojem hybridná práca sa spopularizoval s nárastom telepráce počas pandémie ochorenia COVID-19, keď spoločnosti a zamestnanci začali diskutovať o spôsoboch organizácie práce po kríze. Tento pojem sa čoraz viac používa...

25 máj 2023
Publication
Research report

Eurofound research

Eurofound has monitored legislative developments in industrial relations, working conditions and restructuring in Europe over time and from a comparative perspective across the Member States. The Agency’s work in this area seeks to assist decision-makers to better understand the legal framework for creating policy. It has also put resources in place to assist audiences in understanding the sometimes complex and difficult terminology used.

EU context

This topic covers the legal framework that regulates industrial relations and employment across Europe, including EU legislation and the fundamental labour standards that need to be taken into account.

Legislation is crucial in shaping how Europeans work and live. It is the basis for ensuring better working conditions, equitable labour relations, and equal opportunities for all citizens.

Publications results (81)

Právo na odpojenie sa: implementácia a vplyv na úrovni spoločnosti

This report explores EU Member States’ legislation around the right to disconnect and assesses the impact of company policies in this area on employees’ hours of connection, working time, work–life balance, health and well-being, and overall workplace satisfaction.

30 November 2023
Publication
Research report
Pracovný čas
Rovnováha medzi pracovným a súkromným životom
Pracovné podmienky a udržateľná práca
Telepráca
Working conditions
Agreements
Labour and social regulation
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Hybridná práca v Európe: Koncepcia a prax

Pojem hybridná práca sa spopularizoval s nárastom telepráce počas pandémie ochorenia COVID-19, keď spoločnosti a zamestnanci začali diskutovať o spôsoboch organizácie práce po kríze. Tento pojem sa čoraz viac používa na označenie situácií, keď sa práca, resp. telepráca vykonáva z dvoch pracovísk: na

25 May 2023
Publication
Research report
Pracovné podmienky a udržateľná práca
Telepráca
Work organisation
Labour and social regulation
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Nárast telepráce: vplyv na pracovné podmienky a predpisy

Táto správa predstavuje výskum nadácie Eurofound týkajúci sa telepráce počas pandémie COVID-19 v rokoch 2020 a 2021. Skúmajú sa v ňom zmeny vo výskyte telepráce, v pracovných podmienkach zamestnancov pracujúcich z domu a zmeny predpisov, ktorými sa riešia otázky súvisiace s týmito pracovnými

08 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Nové formy zamestnávania
Pracovné podmienky a udržateľná práca
Working conditions
Telepráca
Employment relationship
COVID-19
Digitálny vek: príležitosti a výzvy pre prácu a zamestnanosť
Labour and social regulation
Pracovný čas
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Regulácia minimálnych miezd a iných foriem odmeňovania samostatne zárobkovo činných osôb

Táto správa bola vypracovaná v rámci trojročného pilotného projektu (2021 – 2023) s názvom Úloha minimálnej mzdy pri vytváraní všeobecnej záruky práce, ktorým Európska komisia poverila nadáciu Eurofound. Zameriava sa na modul 3 projektu, ktorý skúma minimálne mzdy a iné formy odmeňovania samostatne

30 November 2022
Publication
Research report
Odmeňovanie a príjem
Minimálna mzda
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy a sociálny dialóg
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy
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Telepráca v EÚ: regulačné rámce a najnovší vývoj

Účelom tejto správy je zmapovať a analyzovať právne predpisy a kolektívne vyjednávanie týkajúce sa telepráce v 27 členských štátoch a Nórsku. Poukazuje sa v nej na hlavné rozdiely a podobnosti medzi krajinami v oblasti právnych predpisov týkajúcich sa telepráce, ako aj na najnovšie zmeny týchto

01 September 2022
Publication
Research report
Pracovný čas
Working conditions
Telepráca
Rovnováha medzi pracovným a súkromným životom
Work organisation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy a sociálny dialóg
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy
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Minimálne mzdy v roku 2022: výročný prehľad

Po opatrnom kole stanovovania minimálnej mzdy na rok 2021 sa nominálne sadzby na rok 2022 výrazne zvýšili, keďže negatívne dôsledky pandémie sa zmiernili a postavenie ekonomík a trhov práce sa zlepšilo. V tejto súvislosti svoje sadzby zvýšilo 20 z 21 členských štátov EÚ so zákonom stanovenou

15 June 2022
Publication
Research report
Sociálny dialóg
Social partners
Odmeňovanie a príjem
Minimálna mzda
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy a sociálny dialóg
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy
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Ethics in the digital workplace

Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns. Recently, the policy debate surrounding these concerns has become more prominent and has

30 May 2022
Publication
Research report
Social dialogue
Social policies
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
Job quality
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Working life in the COVID-19 pandemic 2021

This publication consists of individual country reports on working life during 2021 for 28 countries – the 27 EU Member States and Norway. The country reports summarise evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working life based on national research and survey results during 2021. They

19 May 2022
Publication
Other
Social dialogue
Social partners
Pay and income
Working time
Working conditions
COVID-19
Industrial action
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Minimálne mzdy v roku 2021: výročný prehľad

V tejto správe sú zhrnuté informácie o tom, ako boli stanovené sadzby minimálnej mzdy v roku 2020 – roku poznačenom pandémiou COVID-19, pre rok 2021. Posudzujú sa v nej výzvy, ktorým čelia vnútroštátne rozhodovacie orgány, a spôsob, akým reagovali na problémy spojené s hospodárskym a sociálnym

10 June 2021
Publication
Research report
Sociálny dialóg
Social partners
Odmeňovanie a príjem
Working poor
Minimálna mzda
European Pillar of Social Rights
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Pracovnoprávne vzťahy a sociálny dialóg
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Zdravotné postihnutie a integrácia do trhu práce: trendy v politike a podpora v členských štátoch

V tejto správe sa skúma politický vývoj v členských štátoch zameraný na podporu začlenenia osôb so zdravotným postihnutím do otvoreného trhu práce s osobitným dôrazom na tri fázy nástupu do zamestnania, zotrvania v zamestnaní a návratu do práce po neprítomnosti. Skúmajú sa v nej mechanizmy a

19 April 2021
Publication
Research report
Social policies
Public services
Working conditions
European Pillar of Social Rights
COVID-19
Disability and chronic disease
Labour market policies
Labour market participation
Životné podmienky a kvalita života
Labour and social regulation
Online resources results (793)

Italy: New rules to protect call centre workers

Measures have been introduced in Italy to protect its 80,000 call centre workers from the negative effects of increasing competitive pressures on employment, delocalisation and working conditions. Employers and unions in the sector have also adopted new rules aimed at avoiding social dumping

24 január 2018
Article
Labour and social regulation
New forms of employment
Non-standard employment
Pay and income

Estonia: New law to upgrade individual labour dispute mechanism

New regulations on resolving individual labour disputes were approved by parliament in June 2017. The changes, to take effect from 2018, are expected to make the out-of-court dispute resolution process simpler and clearer, while also giving labour dispute committees more authority.

16 november 2017
Article
Labour and social regulation

Latvia: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017

Restrictions on extended working hours and tax reforms in the healthcare sector, strike action by family doctors, and social partner discussions on the national minimum wage are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in

1 august 2017
Article
Public services
Industrial action
Minimum wage
Labour and social regulation
Living conditions and quality of life

Bulgaria: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017

The ongoing debate about raising the statutory minimum wage – and trade union opposition to requirements for large combustion plants – are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Bulgaria in the second quarter of 2017.

20 júl 2017
Article
Labour and social regulation
Minimum wage

Spain: High Court ruling abolishes recording of daily working time

The High Court has ruled that companies no longer need to keep a record of their employees’ daily working time, although they must still record overtime worked. This ruling, confirming an earlier initial ruling, has led to controversy between the social partners and forced the Labour Inspectorate to

7 júl 2017
Article
Labour and social regulation
Working time

Austria: Updated law against wage and social dumping comes into force

On 1 January 2017, Austria enacted a new law against wage and social dumping, updating (for the second time since 2015) regulations which first came into force in 2011. The law features the concept of customer liability and improves aspects of cross-border administrative prosecutions. However, its

19 jún 2017
Article
Labour and social regulation
Minimum wage
Labour law
Posted workers
Non-standard employment

United Kingdom: Latest working life developments – Q1 2017

The latest developments on Brexit, employment rights following the UK’s exit, figures on zero-hours contracts and in-work poverty, and legal developments on the ‘gig economy’ are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in

19 apríl 2017
Article
Non-standard employment
Employment status
Labour law
Labour and social regulation
Working poor

Norway: Whistle-blowing and freedom of speech in the workplace

New research suggests that, while the observed amount of wrongdoing in Norwegian workplaces and the proportion of employees who chose to report this has remained relatively stable, the number of reprisals against whistle-blowers rose between 2013 and 2016, while the effectiveness of employees’

19 apríl 2017
Article
Health and well-being at work
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

Norway: Improving gender balance in management posts

While Norway has a good record on equal opportunities for women, the proportion of women in management is relatively low. A new report on the issue concludes that a gender-neutral approach rather than initiatives aimed at women only seems to be more successful in achieving gender balance.

26 január 2017
Article
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

United Kingdom: Government launches consultation on worker representatives on company boards

Prime Minister Theresa May first pledged to put worker representatives on the boards of UK companies in July 2016, shortly after taking office. This article outlines the evolution of the proposal, up to the launch on 29 November of the formal process of consultation on corporate governance, and

25 január 2017
Article
Employee representation
Labour law
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (12)
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Regulating platform work in Europe: A work in progress

The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising. Yet, in

27 september 2022
Dragoș Adăscăliței
Blog
Platform work
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
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Resumed EU Semester calls for better involvement of the social partners in implementing recovery and resilience plans

With the arrival of the month of May, the 2022 European Semester Spring Package is anticipated soon. After a transformative year in 2021, which saw the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) under NextGenerationEU, the European Semester cycle has resumed its role as the reference

3 máj 2022
Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras
Blog
Social partners
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Platform cooperatives ensure caring in the sharing economy

Whether it is couch surfing, baby-sitting, pizza delivery or getting Ikea furniture assembled by somebody who can do it better, platforms can mediate all kinds of voluntary or professional services. Platform work is at the heart of the ‘sharing economy’. But while this may sound like a new form of

31 marec 2022
Beate Steurer
Blog
New forms of employment
Employment relationship
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
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Gender pay transparency: Advancing the cause through a truly European proposal

With its proposed directive on gender pay transparency, the European Commission has significantly bolstered the set of tools for delivering its objectives compared to those presented in its 2014 Recommendation. The proposed portfolio of measures addresses many shortcomings of the instruments that

18 jún 2021
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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As Member States take different approaches to regulating telework, will the EU bring them into line?

The massive and rapid adoption of telework in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 lockdowns exposed gaps in the legislation governing telework arrangements across the EU Member States. In some cases, there was no regulation in place; in others, it was too restrictive. Governments scrambled to put

31 máj 2021
Federica De Blasio
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Teleworking
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
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Does the new telework generation need a right to disconnect?

Whatever the benefits of telework – and there are many, including more flexible working time, increased productivity and less commuting – there are drawbacks, as many of the one-third of Europeans who were exclusively working from home during the pandemic will attest. Primary among these is the ‘alw

3 december 2020
Oscar Vargas Llave
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Work-life balance
Collective bargaining
Agreements
Digitalisation
Teleworking
Labour and social regulation
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
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Are simple statistics enough? On the benefits of gender pay reports and audits

Following a sluggish response by many Member States to introduce or modify gender pay transparency measures, as it recommended in 2014, the European Commission intends to table a proposal for EU-level legislation on pay transparency later in 2020. In this context, a new Eurofound study investigated

6 november 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Gender equality
Discrimination at work
Labour and social regulation
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Racial discrimination is not a thing of the past in the EU

25 jún 2020
Anna Gallinat
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Discrimination at work
Inclusive labour markets
Migration and mobility
Labour and social regulation
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Can short-time working save jobs during the COVID-19 crisis?

On 2 April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new fund of up to €100 billion to support EU Member States to introduce short-time working or similar schemes, including for the self-employed, in an effort to safeguard jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as SURE

5 máj 2020
Tina Weber
Blog
COVID-19
Labour market policies
Labour and social regulation
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Economic downturns expose the vulnerability of a growing number of precarious workers

Up to the start of 2020, recent EU economic and labour market trends were often discussed in terms of the periods before and after the Great Recession. It now appears likely that, in the short- to medium-term, the repercussions of that economic crisis will be dwarfed by the unfolding impact of the

21 apríl 2020
Tina Weber
Blog
COVID-19
Non-standard employment
Employment status
Labour and social regulation
Employment and labour markets

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