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Labour law reforms

Labour law comprises the body of legislation, statutes, and regulations that establish the rights and obligations of employers and workers, both individually and collectively. Labour laws are essential to a country’s economic stability, forming the foundation for decent work and sustainable development. International labour standards play a crucial role in shaping national labour and employment frameworks, promoting fair, inclusive, and rights-based workplaces.

Assisting ILO member states with reforming their labour law is a core function of the International Labour Office, as set out in Article 10(2) of the ILO Constitution.

Key Areas of Reform

The employment relationship

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The employment relationship

Employment protection

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Employment protection

Non-standard forms of employment
Call Center header image

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Non-standard forms of employment

Working time and work organization
Working Time Header image

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Working time and work organization

Safety and health at work

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Safety and health at work

Gender equality
Syrian woman in Turkey

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Gender equality

Key Resources

Defining and regulating work relations for the future of work

Defining and regulating work relations for the future of work

Working Paper No. 52, "Addressing labour market segmentation: The role of labour law"

Working Paper No. 52, "Addressing labour market segmentation: The role of labour law"

Centenary Issue No. 5: Labour Law

International Labour Review - Centenary Collection (2021)

Centenary Issue No. 5: Labour Law

Labour regulation and development: Socio-legal perspectives

Labour regulation and development: Socio-legal perspectives

Not as simple as it seems: the ILO and the personal scope of International Labour Standards

Journal article

Not as simple as it seems: the ILO and the personal scope of International Labour Standards

Labour law and worker protection in developing countries

Labour law and worker protection in developing countries

Publications et documents

Resources on International Labour Standards

Resources

Resources on International Labour Standards

Effective enforcement of labour standards: governance, labour inspection and the protection of migrant workers
Cover Effective enforcement of labour standards: governance, labour inspection and the protection of migrant workers

Background paper prepared by the International Labour Office

Effective enforcement of labour standards: governance, labour inspection and the protection of migrant workers

The role of national social dialogue institutions in shaping investment policies

ILO Working Paper 171

The role of national social dialogue institutions in shaping investment policies

Actualités et articles

From verbal promises to written agreements: Indonesia's coffee communities learn about labour rights
Two persons

labour law compliance

From verbal promises to written agreements: Indonesia's coffee communities learn about labour rights

How will the new Convention No.193 promote decent work in the platform economy?

Explainer

How will the new Convention No.193 promote decent work in the platform economy?

Projets

Promoting responsive institutions and mechanisms to eliminate forced labour in the Philippines (PRIME PH)
A miner wearing a hard hat and protective gear enters a mining tunnel during a safety inspection.

Forced labour

Promoting responsive institutions and mechanisms to eliminate forced labour in the Philippines (PRIME PH)

Improving OSH and social conditions for women and men in coffee farmer communities in Indonesia
a coffee farmer harvesting coffee beans in Vietnam

Vision Zero Fund

Improving OSH and social conditions for women and men in coffee farmer communities in Indonesia

Comply with Fundamental Rights at Work in Costa Rica
El proyecto se propuso mejorar y cumplir eficazmente con la legislación laboral, especialmente aquellas relacionadas con principios y derechos fundamentales en el trabajo

Comply with Fundamental Rights at Work in Costa Rica

Contact us

For more information or to reach out to our team and global network of experts, please contact the ILO’s Labour Law Reform and Access to Labour Justice Team (LABOURLAW) at [email protected].

Related content

Safety and health at work

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Safety and health at work

Social dialogue and tripartism
Social dialogue and tripartism hero image

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Social dialogue and tripartism

Better Work Branch (BETTERWORK)

Better Work Branch (BETTERWORK)

Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

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Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

Labour inspection
labour law hero

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Labour inspection

Labour administration

Topic portal

Labour administration

Collective bargaining and labour relations
10 June 2016. Executive Director of District Council 37, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and vice chancellor for labour relations at the City University of New York (CUNY), reach a collective agreement covering more than 20,000 members working at CUNY and valid for 87 months

Topic portal

Collective bargaining and labour relations

Regulating for Decent Work Network

Regulating for Decent Work Network

The Protection of Wages
The protection of wages image

Thematic page

The Protection of Wages

Labour dispute prevention and resolution
Wide shot of the garment factory featuring row of busy workers

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Labour dispute prevention and resolution

The employment relationship

Thematic page

The employment relationship

Employment protection

Thematic page

Employment protection