The well-regulated agency work model facilitates the flexibility of and access to a diverse jobs market, enabling individuals to enjoy genuine independent or self-employed status without compromising their social rights and employment protections
For these reasons, agency work can be a leading model for the platform work economy.
On 16 September 2021, the European Parliament adopted an own-initiative report on “Fair working conditions, rights and social protection for platform workers — New forms of employment linked to digital development.”
The report highlights the legal uncertainty around the term ‘worker’ and ‘self-employed’ and calls for a reversal of the burden of proof for workers claiming employment status, pleading for a minimum set of rights for platform workers regardless of their employment status.
New Ways of Working is a new comparative reference tool developed by International Employment Lawyer,providing information on key employment and compliance topics (such as vaccinations, legislation on remote work and social relations) in 20 countries around the world.
It enables multinational employers to compare different legal systems and their approach to the pandemic and new ways of working that recently developed.
The New Zealand Employment Relations Authority has recently ruled that the Customs Service acted reasonably in dismissing an employee who refused to be vaccinated against covid-19.
On 1 October 2021, the Employment Relations Authority declined to grant interim reinstatement to four employees dismissed because employer considered their roles were covered by the Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021, but they refused to be vaccinated.
From 6 to 8 September 2021, the World Employment Conference held its first online event with more than 300 participants from all over the world.
More than 70 speakers spoke on the developments transforming labour markets and covered topics such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, career guidance, hybrid workplaces, skilling or diversity and inclusion.
G20 Labour Ministerial meeting took place in Sicily on 23 June 2021 and focused on three main areas: more, better, and equally paid jobs for women; social protection systems in a changing world of work; and working patterns, business organisation and production process in the digitalisation era.
The B20, the Business at OECD (BIAC) and the IOE have published a joint paper calling on G20 leaders to promote and facilitate access to trade finance to boost the economic recovery post COVID19 pandemic.