Suchergebnisse

The changes of the labour market have strong characteristics compared to the earlier eras. These changes are primarily the changes happening due to the process of digitalization coming to the foreground which will significantly transform the structure of the labour market2. The time shift between the terminating workplaces and the new ones resulting from the application of new technologies and the retraining of the employees will result in an intermediate time interval. The maximal use of this time interval will be typical mainly for the low-educated manpower. However, based on the principle of national social care, these people cannot be left without provision. This problem has become really urgent because of the COVID-19 epidemic reaching Europe on the spring of 2020. More countries have introduced basic income or a similar kind of social benefit. The reason for this step is the significant employment crisis which is the consequence of the lock-down that has been applied in certain countries in order to stop the spread of the virus. But basic income is only one element of the system, so the issue should be examined in terms of minimum wage and minimum income.

With the entry into force of the new labour law rules, responses to new life situations, such as the possibility of electronic communication, have come to the fore. Under certain conditions, the legislator treats the electronic document in the same way as paper documents. Our everyday relationships are transforming, becoming more and more digital. As a result, employees are increasingly using digital solutions to make their legal disclaimers. These life situations raise a lot of questions. Some of the questions have not yet been answered by the legislator. In the case of legal disclaimers made in electronic form, the scope of subjects and other conditions of mailing are often not clarified either. It would be necessary for the legislator to respond to these issues, as even in the current pandemic situation, many workers are trapped in the online space, which will result in the more frequent use of digital solutions. In this study, we would like to present the current regulations and make suggestions for rethinking.

Changes in the labour market have marked features that are important for previous eras. These changes are primarily changes as digitalization comes to the fore, which significantly changes the structure of the labour market. The time lag between job losses and new jobs created due to new technologies, as well as possible retraining, will result in an intermediate time interval. This time interval for maximum service will be characterized by a low-skilled workforce. Starting out, however, from the principle of state social welfare, we cannot leave these persons without benefits. The question was made especially topical by the COVID-19 epidemic, which also reached Europe in the spring of 2020. In several countries, basic income or -similar social benefits have been introduced. The reason for this move is the significant employment crisis that has resulted in the lockdown used by some countries to stop the spread of the virus. The basic income is, however, only one element of the system, which is why it is necessary to examine the issue in relation to the minimum wage and minimum income.

The changing of labour law relations has been accelerated because of recent events. The suddenly occurring pandemic situation has overwritten all the processes of the labour market. We are faced with numerous problems while recovering from the crisis. Basic questions should be asked, and they have to be considered. One thing is sure: nothing will be the same as before. The situation created by COVID-19 is a disaster and probably an opportunity at the same time. It is an opportunity for rebuilding and developing a bit different and maybe a fairer labour market. There are several open questions which should not be answered at once, but we should dare to ask them. Given the initial stage of the epidemic, this study seeks to shed light on the issues that have arisen rather than to give concrete answers to each of the potential problems. The copy of the manuscript submitted for publication was finished in April 2020, so by the time it is published, we may have already received answers to many things, but it is more likely that many questions will remain open.

The recent pandemic forced companies to switch to working from home, which was necessary to maintain health and economic efficiency. The move from physical workplaces to virtual workplaces in the digital space, however, started earlier than the pandemic. The pandemic amplified this process. In parallel, we also see that companies have had positive experiences in the process of creating virtual workplaces. The virtual workplace has serious IT-issues, which we attempt to reflect on. Some of the employees have taken to this solution: a significant part of the companies has not even returned to the classical former working processes. We have to focus also on the issues of the virtual workplace. Due to its practical popularity, it was necessary to regulate home office at the legal level, as most experts also had the opposite opinion on its essential elements. In order to close this debate, the legislator has created a new regulation concerning teleworking, which amends the rules of the Hungarian Labour Code on teleworking with effect from the end of the emergency. The purpose of this paper is to present the new legislation, with particular attention to the points at issue and the basics of its application in practice.