50162 - LABOUR LAW (EUROPEAN SOCIAL LAW)

Basic knowledge of European Union Law and domestic Labour Law is suggested.

The Course is aimed at providing a general introduction on European Social Law in the different spheres of individual and collective labour law issues.

• Specific themes and material aspects of European Labour Law are explored in more detail. These include: Freedom of Movement of Workers, Precarious employment, Protection against Discrimination, Business Reorganisation, Transfer of Undertakings and Employee Involvement in the undertaking, to list but a few.
• Where possible and useful, reference is also made to the national systems of Labour Law of the EU member states.

• Identify and analyse the regulatory framework of the European labour market.
• Explain the historical background knowledge of labour law in general within the EU.
• Recognize and illustrate the key steps in the evolution of notions, concepts and legal interventions at the European level.
• Analyse and undestand a set of key rulings and decision by the European Court of Justice.

• Understand, assess and connect the most important material aspects of EU Labour Law.
• Apply EU labour legislation to practical cases.
• Evaluate and predict current and future trends.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Group assignments
• Interactive class activities (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)
• Participation in external competitions

• Students are expected to read and come prepared to discuss the readings uploaded on Bboard, to think about a number of legal questions before the lesson and to participate actively in class discussion.
• Starting from the second week, each topic is introduced by the teacher and then discussed with students in class.
• Each student is expected to work in a group of 2-3 people on an assigned topic, which shall be the object of:
  • Class participation.
  • An oral presentation of 20 min.
  • A written essay (max 8.000 words) – only one per group.
    • Groups are formed in principle on a voluntary basis.
    • The topics are assigned before the spring break.
    • Oral presentations take place in the three or two last weeks of the course.
    • Groups deliver their written essay 7 days after the presentation.

Students attending  the course are assessed on a three-step basis:

1. Individual participation in class discussions: up to 3 bonus points rounding up the final grade*.
2. Group performance, on the basis of the oral presentation, the following discussion and the written essay (same grade for all members of the group!): up to 12 points**.
3. Individual performance in a written exam, with open questions on legal questions and cases (3 hours time, no space limits): up to 18 points***.

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

• *As to participation in discussions in class (up to 3 bonus points), relevant criteria are:
  • Knowledge of the materials uploaded online 
  • Ability to develop personal standpoints about the legal issues discussed in class.
• **As to the group assignments (up to 12 points):
  • The task: each group is asked to analyse and discuss with the class a legal issue;
  • Each group is free to decide how to organise the oral presentation.
  • A written paper on the task, taking into account suggestions and criticisms raised in the discussion, shall be delivered within a week after the presentation.
  • Assessment takes into account both the oral and the written performance
  • Relevant criteria for the assessment:
    1. Coverage of all the relevant legislative and case law materials.
    2. Capacity to critically address all the relevant issues raised by the task.
    3. Consistency of the proposed solution, logical order and clarity of exposition.
• ***As to the written exam (up to 18 points):
  • There are 2 open questions only on the topics analysed and discussed in class during the whole course, including those presented by the groups of students;
  • Individual preparation should focus on:
    1. Compulsory reading materials.
    2. Slides used during the lessons.
    3. Notes taken during the lessons.

Full study of the textbook is not required: only some selected excerpts of it is relevant.

Students who do not attend the course are assessed on the sole basis of a written exam with 2 open questions about the contents of all reading materials, including the textbook, various papers and ECJ rulings uploaded on Bboard.

• The Student’s Handbook for the Course of “European Social Law” is: A.C.L. DAVIES, EU Labour Law, Edgar European Law, 2013.
• Other materials and the ECJ decisions that are discussed in class are provided on the Bboard space. A reading list is given below for each class.