More instead of less regulation
Labour market policy: more instead of less regulation
While the buzzword digitalisation seems to be omnipresent in the draft treaty
sensible labour market policy measures to cope with the challenges from this
technological revolution are rare. Instead the new Groko continues to tighten
labour market regulation, a trend which started in the last Groko.
Albeit high-profile projects similar to the introduction of the minimum wage in 2015 are not
on the new agenda, this trend is counterproductive, as employers and
employees need more flexibility to adapt to the structural changes.
Instead the Groko will not relax the restrictions on the daily working time (usually 8 h, max.
10h (if compensation is granted), after-work resting time 11h). At least unions
and employers will have the right to introduce more flexibility with regard to the
maximuml weekly working hours. Furthermore employees will be granted the
right to temporarily switch to part-time work.
This rule which, in general, shall
apply to enterprises with more than 45 employees will make the respective
companies’ personnel planning more difficult and probably more expensive.
EU Forecast
euf:ba18.d:147/nws-01