Labour Law Database Codebook and explanatory note

Abstract

The WageIndicator Labour Law Database aims to collect information about national Labour Law. The database is used to publish relevant clauses with information about the national Labour Law on the national WageIndicator websites and on WageIndicator.org. All Labour Law clauses in the database are also coded, according to a coding scheme, as presented in this codebook. These codes support the generation of the biennial Labour Rights Index for all countries in the database. The Labour Rights Index is a de-jure index that measures major aspects of employment regulation affecting a worker during the employment life cycle. The Labour Rights Index covers 10 topics/indicators and 46 evaluation criteria. All of these are based on substantive elements of the Decent Work Agenda. The criteria are all grounded in UDHR, five UN Conventions, five ILO Declarations, 35 ILO Conventions, and four ILO Recommendations.

The data collection started in 2013 with 16 countries, and gradually more countries were added. As of today, the WageIndicator Labour Law Database holds detailed country profiles for 118 countries. More countries are scheduled for the years to come. Each year, the national labour laws are checked for updates. In addition, the database is also used to generate Decent Work Surveys, whereby workers are informed about the compliance of their job with the Labour Law. 

The Labour Law database is also used for the Decent Work Check, a tried and tested WageIndicator product. Created together with trade unions and employers organisations and WageIndicator teams. The Decent Work Check is used as an offline tool and in print. The check works as an awareness tool and a quick check of your labour law knowledge. The Decent Work Check is seen as an eyeopener for workers, trade unionists, employers and even labour inspectors. These Surveys are currently running in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. 

The data collection method is through desk research, which is possible because all national laws can be accessed through the Internet. The database is based on more than 13 years of research by WageIndicator Foundation and its labour law office, the Centre for Labour Research (Pakistan). More than 30 WageIndicator team members have contributed to the Index by providing relevant data informing various indicators under the Index.