Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The EU Council adopts the latest rules to enhance Platform workers’ working conditions.
European Council has adopted new rules that seek to improve working conditions for the more than 28 million people performing in digital labour platforms across the EU. The platform work directive will make the usage of algorithms in human resources oversight more transparent, ensuring that automated systems are scrutinised by qualified staff and that workers have the right to challenge automated decisions.
How will new rules improve platform workers’ conditions?
It will assist in correctly determining the employment position of persons working for platforms, allowing them to benefit from any labour rights they are allowed. Member states will specify a legal presumption of employment in their legal systems that will be activated when certain facts indicating control and direction are located.
In the next steps, the directive will now be inscribed by both the EU Council and the European Parliament and will enter into force following publication in the EU’s Official Journal. Member states will then have two years to integrate the provisions of the directive into their national legislation.
How does the new directive protect workers from automated decisions?
The EU Commission’s proposal was publicised on 9 December 2021. Employment and social affairs ministers arranged the Council’s general approach at their session on 12 June 2023. Negotiations with the European Parliament started on 11 July 2023 and were concluded with an accord reached on 8 February 2024. The agreement acquired with the Parliament ensures that workers are duly notified about the use of automated monitoring and decision-making systems concerning their recruitment, their working conditions and their salaries, among other things.
It also prohibits the use of automated monitoring or decision-making systems for the processing of specific types of personal data of individuals performing platform work, such as biometric data or their emotional or psychological state. Human management and evaluation are also guaranteed as follows automated decisions, including the right to have those findings explained and reviewed
