THE PLATFORM ECONOMY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFECTIVE LEGAL PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES

Abstract

This paper deals with the current issue of the platform economy in the context of Slovak labour law. Formally, the paper is divided into three main parts. In the first part we define the basic concepts and analyze the current state of the platform economy in genere. The second part of the paper focuses on the de lege lata state of Slovak labour law in relation to platform labour and addresses the problems associated with the platform economy, such as the uberization of labour relations and illegal work. In the last part, we examine in more detail the legislative steps taken by the European Union to create a comprehensive and broad-based system of labour and social rights protection for digital platform workers. The aim of this paper is to analyze the current legal framework for the protection of platform workers and to reflect on the question whether the traditional protection mechanisms of Slovak labour law are sufficient to comprehensively protect workers in the today’s platform economy. The contribution of this paper is to assess the current legal situation and identify potential areas for improvement of the protection of workers in the platform economy in the Slovak Republic.