Course 2024-2025 a.y.

The Course aims at providing a general introduction on the main elements of European Social Law in the different spheres of individual and collective labour issues, with some references also to Domestic and International Labour Law.

Some elements about the International Labour Standards and specific themes and material aspects of European Labour Law will be explored in more detail. These include: the Notion of worker, Freedom of Movement of Workers, Precarious employment and Platform work, Protection against Discrimination, Business Reorganization, Transfer of Undertakings and Collective bargaining at European level, to list but a few.

Where possible and useful, reference will also be made to the national systems of Labour Law of the EU Member States.

The essential topics will be addressed from an international, European, and comparative standpoint. 

• Understand the basic dynamics of labour relations;

• Aquire deep knowledge of the multilevel system of sources both at the national, EU and international level;

• Be able to read and analyse the relevant case law of the CJEU and of other supranational Courts and Bodies.

- Interpret and integrate labour law alongside other pertinent legal fields such as private, corporate, and competition law;

- Understand the influence of international labour law and EU social law in regulating labour relationships;

- Recognize and evaluate the emerging trends revolutionizing the modern work environment.

• Lectures
• Collaborative Works / Assignments

In general, all students are always expected to read and come prepared to discuss the readings and cases previously made available by the Instructor, to think about a number of legal questions before the lesson and to participate actively in class discussion.

More specifically, students can decide to take the exam as attending students or as non attending students.

Students who decide to take the exam as ATTENDING STUDENTS are required to:

a)        attend at least 75% of the classes.

b)         At the very beginning of the course, form on a voluntary basis a group of 3-5 students, that will work together on different assignments, such as:

- Analysis of decisions of the CJEU or other Courts in class;

- Discussion of concrete cases (moot court model)

- Preparation of a final paper on a given topic

Students who decide to take the exam as ATTENDING STUDENTS are required to:

a)        attend at least 75% of the classes.

b)         At the very beginning of the course, form on a voluntary basis a group of 3-5 students, that will work together on different assignments.

GROUPS ASSIGMENTS:

Each group will be asked to work on the following assignments:

a)        An oral presentation of one ore more case during the course. The case will be assigned in class at the beginning of the course, depending on the overall number of attending students and of groups. More indications will be provided in class.

b)         An oral presentation of 15 min. to be held at the end of the course on a specific topic;

c)          a written essay (max 6.000 words, footnotes included) on the same topic presented in class at the end of the course (only one essay per group).

The final evaluation of students attending the course will be based on a three-step basis:

a)        group performance, on the basis of the oral presentations in class, the following discussion and the written essay (same grade for all members of the group!): up to 15 points*;

b)         individual performance in a written exam, with two open questions on legal questions and cases (1 hour, no space limits): up to 15 points**; students will be provided with 3 questions, and must choose two questions to answer. PLEASE NOTE: only two questions must be answered. If a third question is answered, it will not be taken into consideration for the final evaluation.

c)          the final point (cum laude) will be granted at the discretion of the docent to outstanding students, who actively participated in class and produced an excellent essay and final exam.

The final grade will result from the sum of these three partial marks.

The use of materials during the exams will not be permitted.

Students who do not attend the course and who do not wish to participate to the groups’ will be assessed on the sole basis of a written exam with 4 open questions (1h) about the contents of all reading materials and all papers and CJEU rulings uploaded on BBoard.

The use of materials during the exams will not be permitted.

Materials uploaded by the Instructor on BlackBoard.

Handbooks:

Christina Hiessl, Basics on European Social Law, last edition available.

Adalberto Perulli, Vania Brino, Handbook of International Labour Law, last edition available.