Self-employment and remote working: new text approved

At the meeting of 22 July 2016, the Senate Employment Commission approved the «new» text for the draft bill relating to self-employment and remote working, with significant amendments to the text submitted by the government in 2015. Regarding self-employment, the regulations will also apply to working relations with special provisions pursuant to section 2222 of the Civil Code, originally excluded. The measures applicable to self-employment will include those already applied to the abuse of economic dependency and Job Centers will also seek opportunities for the self-employed. In relation to remote working, it will be possible to establish this type of work by an agreement between the parties and must be carried out partially on company premises and, without a fixed work station, partially outside the company, within the limits of the maximum working hours per day and per week allowed by the law and the collective employment agreement. The remote working agreement shall be in writing «to meet administrative needs and to provide proof», and must specify «the technical and organizational means for ensuring that the worker can be disconnected from the technological tools required for work». In the case of disabled workers, notice of termination of employment by the employer shall be no less than 90 days in order to enable «sufficient reorganization of the worker according to his/her life and treatment needs». Finally, agile workers will have the right to lifelong learning, formally, non-formally and informally, and to the regular certification of their skills. Definitive approval by the Senate is expected in September with the bill becoming law thereafter.