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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.

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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...

30 November 2023
Publication
Research report
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Izraz „hibridno delo“ se je razširil z razmahom dela na daljavo med pandemijo covida-19, ko so podjetja in zaposleni začeli razpravljati o načinih organizacije dela po pandemiji. Izraz se čedalje...

25 Maj 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)

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

Izraz „hibridno delo“ se je razširil z razmahom dela na daljavo med pandemijo covida-19, ko so podjetja in zaposleni začeli razpravljati o načinih organizacije dela po pandemiji. Izraz se čedalje pogosteje uporablja za primere, v katerih se (delo, ki ga je mogoče opraviti na daljavo) opravlja na

25 May 2023

V tem poročilu so predstavljene Eurofoundove raziskave o delu na daljavo med pandemijo covida-19 v letih 2020 in 2021. V njem so proučene spremembe razširjenosti dela na daljavo, delovnih pogojev zaposlenih, ki delajo od doma, in zakonodaje, ki obravnava vprašanja, povezana s tovrstno ureditvijo

08 December 2022

To poročilo je pripravljeno v okviru triletnega pilotnega projekta (2021–2023) Vloga minimalne plače pri uvedbi univerzalnega jamstva za delo, ki ga je Evropska komisija poverila Eurofoundu. Poročilo se osredotoča na modul 3 projekta, v okviru katerega se raziskujejo minimalne plače in druge oblike

30 November 2022

Namen tega poročila je pregled in analiza zakonodaje in kolektivnih pogajanj o delu na daljavo v 27 državah članicah in na Norveškem. V njem so poudarjene glavne razlike in podobnosti med posameznimi državami v zvezi z zakonodajo o delu na daljavo ter nedavne spremembe teh predpisov. Predstavljeno

01 September 2022

Potem ko so bile minimalne plače za leto 2021 določene z dobršno mero previdnosti, so se v letu 2022 njihovi nominalni zneski bistveno povišali, saj so se negativne posledice pandemije umirile, gospodarstva in trgi dela pa so si opomogli. Minimalne plače je dvignilo 20 od 21 držav članic EU, ki

15 June 2022

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

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

V tem poročilu je povzeto, kako so bile med letom 2020, ki ga je zaznamovala pandemija bolezni COVID-19, določene stopnje minimalne plače za leto 2021. Predstavljene so težave, s katerimi so se srečevali državni nosilci odločanja, ter njihovi odzivi na izzive odpravljanja gospodarskih in socialnih

10 June 2021

V tem poročilu je obravnavan politični razvoj v državah članicah EU, namenjen podpiranju vključevanja invalidov na odprti trg dela, s posebnim poudarkom na treh fazah: zaposlovanje, ohranitev delovnega mesta in vračanje na delo po obdobju odsotnosti. Proučeni so mehanizmi in učinkovitost več kot 150

19 April 2021

Online resources results (793)

Finland: Developments in working life – Q1 2016

Talks on the Competitiveness Pact, threats to the formation of a new peak-level organisation, and an agreement on a wage freeze are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Finland in the first quarter of 2016.

Hungary: Vocational training system gets major overhaul

Hungary is undergoing a major transformation of its education system. The number of Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools needed is under review and responsibility for their supervision is being transferred to the Ministry for National Economy (NGM).

Spain: Developments in working life – Q1 2016

The discussions and deals between political parties after the general election of December 2015, the slow recovery of the labour market and trade union membership losses are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Spain

Slovenia: Controversy over amendments to the Minimum Wage Act

The definition of the minimum wage in Slovenia was changed at the end of November 2015. From 1 January 2016, the allowances for unfavourable working time (night, Sunday and holiday work) are exempted from it and paid separately. Trade unions are pleased, but employer organisations were outraged and

United Kingdom: National living wage comes into force

A statutory ‘national living wage’ comes into force in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2016 and will be phased in over four years, with the aim of reaching 60% of median UK earnings by 2020. Trade unions have welcomed the move while employer groups have expressed concern about some businesses’ ability

Ireland: National Minimum Wage rise follows Low Pay Commission report

The first rise in Ireland's National Minimum Wage (NMW) since 2007 was implemented on January 1, 2016. It comes after a recommendation in the Low Pay Commission’s first annual report to increase the NMW by 50 cents per hour to a new hourly rate of €9.15.

Greece: Court rules cut to civil servants' lump sum benefits is constitutional

The Greek Supreme Administrative Court has ruled that cuts to a teacher's lump sum benefit (payable to public servants on retirement) were not illegal. The teacher had claimed the 34.27% reduction imposed as part of financial austerity measures was unconstitutional. The judgement has yet to be

Finland: Changes in legislation lead to earlier return to work after prolonged sickness absence

Legislative changes in Finland regarding sickness absence appear to have boosted the proportion of employees returning to work.

Norway: General application of collective agreements in the transport sector

General application of collective agreements in the Norwegian transport sector were put in force in 2015 to help regulate pay and employment conditions for foreign drivers.

Italy: Streamlining of social safety nets in new Jobs Act

Unions in Italy are divided over reforms in the new Jobs Act regarding welfare payments for workers who are temporarily unemployed. Employer organisations, however, have generally welcomed the way the act has streamlined certain measures.


Blogs results (12)
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The European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work last year documented the case of a Dutch temporary work agency that hired workers of various nationalities to work for a construction company in Belgium. The wages were suspiciously low, and the Belgian Labour Inspectorate believed that EU law

17 Julij 2019
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The European Union (EU) has strong legislation in place that protects workers from being exploited and also enables businesses to engage in fair competition. Workers are mobile and can move freely within the EU single market across borders – without being dependent upon traffickers. Yet, the latest

3 Maj 2016

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