Labour Law, Vulnerability and the Regulation of Precarious Work

Lisa Rodgers, Law School, University of Leicester, UK

The shifting nature of employment practice towards the use of more precarious work forms has caused a crisis in classical labour law and engendered a new wave of regulation. This timely book deftly uses this crisis as an opportunity to explore the notion of precariousness or vulnerability in employment relationships. Its logical structure situates vulnerability in its developmental context before moving on to examine the goals of the regulation of labour law for vulnerability, its current status in the law and case studies of vulnerability such as temporary agency work and domestic work.

‘While vulnerability is a concept often mentioned in labour law and employment policy discourse, its precise meaning can remain elusive. This book provides rigorous theoretical analysis and contains fresh insights to aid our understanding of vulnerability. It is a stimulating contribution to the debate on how legal regulation responds to the changing characteristics of today’s labour market.’
– Mark Bell, The University of Dublin, Ireland

‘The concept of vulnerability is crucial for understanding the characteristics of employment relationships and the purpose of labour law, but has not been deeply examined by labour lawyers so far. In this original and valuable contribution, Lisa Rodgers develops a theoretical account of vulnerability that advances our understanding of the field, exposing some shortcomings of existing theories and laws along the way. The book offers important insights that should inform future discussions of labour law and policy.’
– Guy Davidov, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel