The COVID-19 pandemic and violations of workers rights

Todorova, Biljana (2021) The COVID-19 pandemic and violations of workers rights. Eighth International Scientific Conference SOCIAL CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL WORLD, 1 (1). pp. 301-312. ISSN 316.42:34(100)(062)

Text Biljana Todorova.pdf Download (5MB)

Abstract

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic creates new jeopardy to fundamental principles and rights at
work. In the Republic of North Macedonia workers were the first to be hit after the state of
emergency was declared because they had to deal with the consequences of the coronavirus.
It seems that in the country workers often paid the price of lockdown measures with violations
of their labour rights, whose number was increasing daily. The COVID-19 pandemic is
restricting freedom of association, denying workers the right to unionize strike and engage
in collective bargaining. Some laid-off workers have reported difficulties in accessing social
protection schemes. Another issue is a lack of suitable protection to safeguard the rights
of workers – cut down expenses, use of days off, occupational health and safety, access to
benefits, and unfounded termination of the employment contract.
Since the pandemic began, North Macedonian labour law does not only rely on existing
regulations.
The aim of this paper is to increase awareness and understanding of what lawmakers
can do now to address, mitigate, and remediate labour rights concerns, with a clear focus on
managing labour rights.
First, the paper will try to answer the question does North Macedonian labour law have
good mechanisms, if any, that protect the rights of workers in the pandemic.
And second, we will analyze if the North Macedonian legislators reacted upright to the
pandemic by amending several new labour laws over a short period.
Both, primary and secondary sources will be used for the explanation of fundamental
principles and rights at work. Furthermore, an analysis will be done on the introduction of new
rules and working conditions.
Keywords: coronavirus, labour law legislation, pandemic, Republic of North Macedonia,
workers’ rights

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Humanities > Other humanities
Divisions:	Faculty of Law
Depositing User:	Biljana Todorova
Date Deposited:	25 Jan 2022 08:37
Last Modified:	25 Jan 2022 08:37
URI:	https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/29068

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