2.1.2.Legislation concerning individual labour law
There is no general legislation governing the relationship between employers and employees applicable to all categories of employees. The existing legislation comprises legislation in special fields applicable to all employees and legislation applicable only to special categories of employees.
The general legislation deals with the following:
- absence in connection with sickness and maternity/parental leave;
- absence in connection with military service;
- holiday and holiday allowance;
- equal treatment of and equal pay for men and women;
- freedom of organisation;
- legal position in connection with transfers of undertakings;
- collective redundancies;
- contracts of employment;
- discrimination due to race, colour, religion, political belief, sexual orientation or national, social or ethnic origin;
- registration and use of health data on the labour market;
- parental leave and training leave.
It should be noted that some of these statutes contain provisions to the effect that the provisions of the act can be replaced by collective agreement if such a collective agreement offers the employees at least the same protection as the legislation.
Furthermore, special statutes apply to particular categories of employees:
- salaried employees who are defined as employees in offices and shops, employees performing technical or laboratory/medical services and supervisors;
- employees in agriculture and in private households who receive board and lodging or board only from the employer;
- apprentices and similar trainees;
- seafarers; and
- public servants in central and local government, including the national school system and the national church.
The statutes regulate - to varying extents - the conditions of employment for the category of employees concerned. Thus, the Employers' and Salaried Employees' (Legal Relationship) Act, 1971, mainly regulates matters concerning termination of the employment relationship, while other statutes are more concerned with rights and obligations during the period of the employment relationship.
EU – European Commission DG EMPL/A/2 J
II 27,
Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels – Belgium
GHK Consulting Ltd 30 St. Paul's Square, Birmingham. B3 1QZ
E-mail: eeo@ghkint.com
