The Impact of Digital Technologies and Digitalization on Labour Law: the Case of Slovenia

Keywords: digital technology, technological progress, Slovene labour law, employment relations, working conditions, social security

Abstract

Building on research focusing on the impact of digital technologies on the labour market, this paper provides an interpretation of major findings by reference to labour law in Slovenia. It is argued that the existing labour law in Slovenia does a reasonable job in dealing with the changes we are witnessing in digital economy. However, the problem is in the implementation of workers« rights in practice. The workers are not taking action to enforce their legal rights as much as one could expect. In addition to this, employers do not put enough attention to the challenges that digitalisation brings in the field of health at work and in the field of workers« skills.  Therefore, the Slovene government should embark upon a system of reforms to improve the promptness of courts in labour disputes. It should also appoint more labour inspectors. At the same time, employers should adopt practical solutions regarding the organisation of working process with aim to diminish the negative impacts of digitalisation on health at work. Furthermore, the employers should put more attention to the development of workers« skills, especially those which, according to theory, will be crucial in the future.

 

Vpliv digitalnih tehnologij in digitalizacije na delovno pravo – primer Slovenije

 

Izhajajoč iz raziskav o vplivu digitalnih tehnologij se prispevek osredotoča na delovno-pravne vidike, ki jih digitalizacija prinaša v svet dela na splošno in še posebej v Sloveniji. Avtorja poudarjata, da učinek in posledice tehnoloških inovacij presegajo dileme o izginjanju dosedanjih delovnih mest in nastanku novih: nanašajo se na vprašanje kvalitete zaposlitve, varnosti zaposlitve, plačila za delo in delovnih pogojev. Avtorja menita, da slovensko delovno pravo nudi primerne odgovore na izzive, ki jih digitalno gospodarstvo prinaša v svet dela. Zato se ne zavzemata za spremembe zakonodaje, pač pa poudarjata, da je v Sloveniji problem predvsem implementacija te zakonodaje v praksi. Delavci v praksi ne uveljavljajo svojih pravic, delodajalci pa posvečajo premalo pozornosti vplivu digitalizacije na zdravje pri delu in razvijanju kompetenc delavcev. Rešitve obstoječih izzivov so zato nujno večplastne. Slovenska vlada bi morala pristopit k oblikovanju reform za še večjo hitrost sodnih postopkov, prav tako bi morala povečati število inšpektorjev za delo. Obenem bi delodajalci morali razmisliti o praktičnih rešitvah na področju organizacije delovnih procesov ter na ta način omiliti negativne učinke digitalizacije na zdravje delavcev. Prav tako bi morali več pozornosti nameniti razvijanju tistih kompetenc delavcev, ki bodo, po raziskavah sodeč, v prihodnosti ključne.

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Author Biographies

Mitja Stefancic, Instituto EURICSE
Independent Researcher, Instituto EURICSE (affiliated), Via Torre Verde, 7, 38122 Trento TN, Italy, e-mail: mitja.s@hotmail.it.
Elizabeta Zirnstein, University of Primorska

Associated Professor, University of Primorska, Faculty of management, Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia, e-mail: elizabeta.zirnstein@fm-kp.si.

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Published
2018-12-26
How to Cite
Stefancic M., & Zirnstein E. (2018). The Impact of Digital Technologies and Digitalization on Labour Law: the Case of Slovenia. LeXonomica, 10(2), 119-132. Retrieved from https://journals.um.si/index.php/lexonomica/article/view/124
Section
Articles