Worldwide Response To Covid-19 Through A Labor/Employment Law Lens

Abstract

In the wake of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, governments across the world were faced with a difficult balancing act. The methods of controlling the virus and protecting public health made standard labor procedures impossible. Many governments responded with a form of lockdown or quarantine, thus forcing large portions of the labor force to temporarily or permanently become unemployed. For those who remained able to work, new safety precautions were needed. Each government responded with measures concerning labor issues differently based on the specific needs of their populations. This article compares and contrasts the various measures taken across the world in six different areas of labor law: workplace safety precautions, wage replacement, job retention, protection for underrepresented portions of the economy, child care laws, and the role of social partners in the decision making process. This article also analyzes how these laws have been exploited, the disparate impact the laws have had on women and lower social classes, and how the role of social partners such as labor unions may be affected moving forward.