The right to work under the labour reform of 2012: a constitutional approach

Abstract

The 2012 labour reform has raised important questions regarding regulation of the right to work. This paper proposes that the employer’s right to terminate a contract in support of entrepreneurs during its first year, interpreted either as a probationary period or as a measure for the promotion of stable employment, violates the constitutional right of every worker to stability in employment (Article 35 of the Constitution). Furthermore, regulation of unfair dismissal is analyzed from a constitutional perspective to reach the conclusion that it is incompatible with the constitutional right to work. Finally, it is argued that the regulation of the causes of collective dismissal cannot prevent the Constitutional Court from reviewing whether the principle of proportionality has been observed, since this is a requirement arising from the constitutional rights to work and to an effective judicial protection.