Katarzyna Jaworska

The starting point for further consideration is that climate change and humanity’s contribution to this process is an indisputable global fact. The article puts forward the thesis that certain provisions of the Labour Code—either existing since its enactment (i.e. since 1974) or introduced later but before 2000 (the title labour law of the 20th century)—show a visible “pro-climate potential”. This potential should be understood in that they can become an effective instrument in the fight against climate change.

The analysis examines: 1) the employer’s obligation to respect the dignity and personal rights of employees, 2) the employee’s duty to respect the interest of the work establishment and 3) the employer’s obligation to contribute to shaping the principles of social coexistence in the workplace and the related employee’s obligation to respect these principles. The option to use multiple legal constructions and protective mechanisms in parallel when determining the responsibility of the employee or the employer reinforces the importance of pro-climate behaviour in the workplace. Nevertheless, not all of the mentioned legal instruments will always be able to be applied when categorising a specific event.

ASJC: 3308, JEL: K31

Flexicurity strategy is a fundamental instrument used in European Union designed to provide citizens with a high level of employment certainty. One of the components that form this strategy is the implementation of a modern system of social security. Only system that promotes employment, improves mobility and allows for agreeable coexistence of professional life and family life can be considered as such. Unfortunately, Polish social security system in the event of unemployment does not meet these assumptions.

This paper addresses the employee’s right to disconnect, which means refraining from professional activity after working hours in the form of answering phones, checking e-mail, or replying to instant messaging. This right directly correlates with the employee’s right to rest and with the employer’s obligation to provide the employee with safe and hygienic working conditions. The issue of exercising this right had already been a difficult one, but it was the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that intensified and accelerated certain processes related to employee’s rest and the disruption of work-life balance. Nowadays, the right to disconnect can be inferred from the employee’s right to rest. However, this requires goodwill on the part of both the employer and social partners. Finally, the author discusses the legal consequences of violating the employee’s right to disconnect, the measures that the employer needs to take before legislative changes are made, and where such changes ought to be introduced.

ASJC: 3308, JEL: K31