La nuova riforma del lavoro

Article by Gianvito Riccio

Authors: Mariella Magnani and Michele Tiraboschi

Law n. 92 of 28 June 2012, entitled “Provisions on labour market reform under a growth perspective”, has completed the labour reform after a tight, and at times harsh, confrontation among government, trade unions and associations, and political parties. Urged by the need to combine the flexibility required by business competitiveness with security in the labour market, which guarantees the workers’ income and professionalism, the reform affects central issues of labour law: from inbound flexibility, through a reorganization of the types of contracts, to outgoing flexibility, through the amendment of article 18 of the Statute of Employment Rights, to social safety nets (unemployment benefits and layoffs). The provisions on lifelong learning and parental leaves are discussed, and the delegation of workers’ participation, as well. The result is a composite and complex picture, which has already drawn the attention of scholars and operators. The contributions collected in this commentary represent a first systematic interpretation, aimed at endowing readers with the conceptual tools and the most essential operational guidelines to make the best of the transition from the old to the new legal and institutional scenario. Thus, the first interpretations are given of the most controversial provisions, with the aim of reducing the social costs of uncertainty with a first-hand approach to the crucial burdens of the work and employment environment.