Realization of Right to Work in response to Digital Transformation

Abstract

Digital transformation has emerged as a hot topic around the world, attracting attention as an opportunity to overcome various crises and discover new growth engines. This paper examines the impact and problems of digital transformation in realizing Right to Work and suggests normative responses. Digital transformation may increase unemployment and lead to job polarization and subsequent expansion of income inequality and poverty. Additionally, as the number of unstable workers increases, blind spots in protection of labor laws and social insurance may increase. In addition, as work flexibility increases, the risk of work-life balance, health, and privacy being violated may increase. Furthermore, as recruitment and personnel management using intelligent information technology expands, problems such as trans- parency, fairness, and the possibility of infringement on personal information and privacy may arise. The normative response to these problems is to maintain the principle that digital transformation is ultimately for the benefit of humans and must contribute to the guarantee of basic rights, while keeping in mind the harmony of autonomy and regulation, strengthening transparency, and securing social integration. Above all, policies are needed to revitalize industrial dynamics to promote employment. The introduction of basic income may be considered, but sufficient prior review and social consensus must be obtained. In addition, we must be able to adapt to various new problems in the work area that arise due to digital transformation by expanding the scope of application of labor-related laws and including new disciplinary content. First, the requirements for recognizing worker status must be newly established and a social security system that can cover all unemployed individuals must be established. Next, in response to problems that may arise as digital work and full-time work becomes possible, the right to disconnect is needed to be specified and the paradigm of the occupational safety and health legislation must be changed. Furthermore, it is necessary to respond to situations where recruitment and personnel management using intelligent information technology are widely used. Measures are needed to establish minimum standards for data use and ensure transparency while being careful not to excessively restrict the possibility of data use or infringe on autonomy by imposing excessive regulations.