The Quality of Platform Employment: Unstable (Precarious) Forms, Regulatory Practices, Challenges for Russia

Abstract

Under the influence of a number of economic, technological and demographic drivers, platform employment has radically increased in the world over the past decade. The regulation of platform employment is an important issue concerning the labor market as a whole and its individual actors. Currently, regulation is provided by the platforms themselves. Such forms of regulation can lead to unfair competition between platforms, the problem of confidentiality of personal data, information asymmetry. Despite the potential of digital labor platforms in terms of providing new employment opportunities, the elements of precarious employment with the development of platforms are expanding their penetration into the sphere of labor relations. Thus, improving the quality of working life will require government intervention and labor compliance. It is necessary to create legal norms that provide basic protection for workers, transparency and equal conditions for all participants in platform employment. This is recognized by both labor market experts, labor unions, and politicians. The article analyzes the international experience in regulating digital labor platforms. The necessity of regulation of platform employment is substantiated. A number of practical recommendations relevant to the Russian Federation have been made, problem fields have been identified that require further research.