Co-funded by the European Union
Newsletter February, 2021

Italy: Bologna Labour Court held a previously used algorithm of a platform company as discriminatory

February, 2021
  • In the complaint filed by trade unions, the Court ordered the company to modify its algorithm as to avoid any type of discrimination, give publicity to the decision, and to pay damages for an amount of EUR50,000

Federation of Egyptian Industries provides services to support SMEs and society

February, 2021
  • The Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) launched new services for improving digital skills of SMEs
  • It also started offering support to companies willing to participate in the rehabilitation of Egyptian villages

WEC Blockchain taskforce to facilitate workforce matching

February, 2021
  • The taskforce was launched at the end of 2019 to explore the potential of blockchain solutions to the private employment services industry.
  • At the end of 2020 it joined the Velocity Network Foundation, a consortium that seeks to use blockchain technology to build an ‘Internet of Careers™’.

The consequences of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement on jobs and investments

February, 2021
  • The largest free-trade area in the world was launched on January 2021 after only 5 years from the beginning of negotiations
  • The agreement is expected to favour investments, decrease poverty and increase jobs

Costa Rican Employers’ Association presents proposals for the economic recovery

February, 2021
  • The Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of the Private Business Sector (UCCAEP) promotes the economic recovery
  • UCCAEP advocates for the approval of the loan from the IMF, to be accompanied by measures that allow for economic recovery, support for the private sector, job creation and a reduction of informality levels

Ireland implements the National Remote Work Strategy: policy and practical application

February, 2021
  • On 15 January 2021, the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment published its National Remote Work Strategy, called ‘Making Remote Work’.
  • The strategy aims at ensuring that “remote working is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace in a way that maximises economic, social and environmental benefits”.

EU parliament Resolution on the right to disconnect

February, 2021
  • The Resolution contains specific recommendations on the scope and content of a Directive
  • The right to disconnect is defined as “the right for workers to switch off their digital tools including means of communication for work purposes outside their working time without facing consequences for not replying to e-mails, phone calls or text messages”.

Philippines: health insurance contribution is temporarily suspended upon request of employers and workers

February, 2021
  • Following allegation of corruption in a public health insurance company, a bipartite institution requested the Government to halt the annual increase on the health contribution;
  • It also requested the Government for the suspension in the rise of social security contributions.