On 25 May, the European Commission presented its proposed package of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs), the first since Next Generation EU (NGEU) was adopted. Analysis of the CSRs provides interesting information on the impact of the European recovery strategy on the relationship between the fiscal and macroeconomic policies of the Union and the employment and social…
On 26-27 May 2022, the Nineteenth International Conference in Commemoration of Professor Marco Biagi took place in Modena, Italy, at the Marco Biagi Foundation, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The title of this conference was: “Work Beyond the Pandemic. Towards a Human-Centered Recovery.”[1] I had the pleasure of chairing a panel on “Digital Transformation…
A framework that subtly discourages remote work Making Remote Work a Reality The Covid-19 pandemic precipitated the largest remote work experiment the world has seen. The fact that working from home was mandatory (except for essential work) meant that discussions surrounding how viable it may be were put aside. The best was made of the…
The Great Resignation has been a frequent discussion point in the United States. The following graph from Pew Research outlines the top reasons US workers have left a job in 2021. Broadly we may categorise these as working conditions issues. Aside from pay which is a common consideration, some of the reasons pertain to the…
Protection for Whistleblowers is not a new concept in Ireland, but recent developments both in terms of the legislation and a case decided by the Supreme Court mean that this is topical once again. On the case law front, the Supreme Court late last year issued a very interesting, and what at least appears an…
The example of Belgium In the 1960s, employees were by far the most important category of persons active in the private labour market, who traditionally fell within the scope of protective labour law. However, the world of work has changed dramatically in recent decades, with more and more persons taking on other statuses and a…
The right to disconnect has been one of the most talked about labour topics in recent years at European level. Recently, the topic took the spotlight in Portugal. 1. The Portuguese new bill Law 83/2021, of 6 December 2021, which entered into force at 1 January 2022, amended the Teleworking Framework set forth in the…
With the digital transition, the precise definition of the future of work (its social and human dimensions) requires urgent attention. Recent policymaking developments tell us a little more about whether the institutions of the European Union are ready to engage in this crucial endeavour. A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH On 9 December 2021, the European Commission…
In April 2021, the European Commission published its first draft of the proposal for a Regulation on Artificial Intelligence (hence: the AI Act). One aim of the proposal is to guarantee ‘consistency with existing Union legislation applicable to sectors where high-risk Artificial Intelligence (hence: AI) systems are already used or likely to be used in…
Is the European Commission’s proposed directive on adequate minimum wages an attempt to build resilience into the labour market? The European Commission’s proposed directive on adequate minimum wages (Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union COM/2020/682 final) has elicited strong opinions. (The Commission’s Impact Assessment also adds to the discussion.) The adequate minimum…
