Globally, more than twelve million working days are lost each year due to mental health problems, primarily arising from conditions related to depression and anxiety. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 health crisis, mental health has deteriorated, and the prevalence of mental disorders has increased among certain population groups. Furthermore, over 45 per cent of workers report being exposed to psychosocial risk factors that adversely affect their mental well-being.
Triangular Employment Relationship (TER) is a situation where an employer hire persons for the use of another. TER, is a global phenomenon as acknowledged by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). In Nigeria, its predominance is in the banking, oil and gas sectors. The main challenge with this employment practice, aside the issue of when does it exist, has always been: between the Agent and End-User employer, who is the actual employer of the employee (s) for the purposes of liability. Recently, the Court of Appeal (CA) adjudicated over this subject in Luck Guard Ltd. v. Adariku & Ors. This paper adopts comparative method juxtaposing the CA perspective to TER vis-a-vis the stance of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) against the backdrop of ILO prescription to ascertain compliance level. It discusses the impact of the decision on labour and employment relations in Nigeria. On comparative basis, it examined the practice and legal framework on TER in Nigeria with South Africa, Namibia, and Ghana aimed at drawing lessons for Nigeria as well as interrogates the stance of the ILO towards TER. It found that the CA's decision in the Adariku's Case was reached per incuriam unlike that taken by the NICN, the position taken by the CA in the Adariku's Case is otiose to the ILO's prescription on TER as well as the practice in South Africa, Namibia and Ghana. It recommends that the CA should jettison the position in subsequent cases and an urgent review of Nigerian law to conform to international minimum best standards on regulation of TER prescribed by the ILO and practiced by progressive jurisdictions.
This article examines the main measures adopted in Italian collective bargaining to adapt working time arrangements to the needs of older workers, workers with chronic illnesses or disabilities, and family caregivers. The most relevant tools include paid leave and authorised absences, shared leave banks, the conversion from full-time to part-time work, flexitime, and agile working, with priority granted to vulnerable categories or those with caregiving responsibilities. Collective bargaining has progressively expanded the scope of legal protections associated with these measures. However, despite their growing significance, their implementation remains fragmented, highlighting the need for a systemic approach that values workers' capabilities, promotes sustainable work, and fosters more flexible and inclusive forms of work organisation.
The aim of the study was to determine the level of compliance of national legislation in Central Asian countries with international labour standards. The study was carried out by applying a set of methods, including comparative legal analysis of national legal acts of these countries and analysis of relevant statistical indicators on the labour market. It is established that despite the ratification by Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan of the key conventions of the International Labour Organization and formal enshrining of basic labour rights at the legislative level, there are significant problems with their practical implementation and the effectiveness of law enforcement. The identified problems include restrictions on the freedom of association and collective bargaining, systemic violations of migrant workers' rights (including exploitation and limited access to social protection), and a high level of informal employment. Statistical analysis has shown that the share of informal employment in Uzbekistan is estimated at 60%, and in Kyrgyzstan at around 30%. The unemployment rate in 2023 in Kyrgyzstan was recorded at 4.1%, while in Uzbekistan it was 8.9% in 2022. There was a significant gender pay gap, reaching about 25.2% inKazakhstan and 36.6% in Uzbekistan. Differences in occupational injury rates were also recorded: the highest rate in Kazakhstan was 0.415 cases per 1,000 employees, in Kyrgyzstan-0.221, and in Uzbekistan-0.078. Based on the analysis, the authors formulate recommendations for Central Asian countries aimed at further improving their labour legislation in line with international standards, strengthening mechanisms for monitoring its observance, developing social dialogue and ensuring more effective protection of workers' rights, especially those of migrant workers and those employed in the informal sector of the economy.
This paper examines the employment inclusion of people living with chronic illnesses and transplant recipients, highlighting the legal uncertainty produced by the fragmented Italian regulatory framework. It outlines current labour-law protections and shows how, also due to the "forced" reliance on disability categories in EU case law, many safeguards have developed through interpretative extensions rather than coherent legislation. Building on the supranational affirmation of the biopsychosocial model of disability, the essay analyses the innovations introduced by Legislative Decree No. 62/2024 and reflects on the conditions for sustainable employment through risk-minimisation and workplace adaptation.
