Really Responsive Regulation and the performance of Brazilian Labor Inspection
Case study on digital labour platforms
Keywords:
Really Responsive Regulation. Work. Digital Platforms. Labor Inspection.Abstract
[Purpose] To identify the key challenges faced by Labor Inspection in implementing a truly responsive regulation framework in overseeing digital platform companies, particularly those focused on location-based services.
[Methodology/approach/design] A case study was conducted using an analytical model of really responsive regulation, focusing on labor inspection in two companies: "iFood.com Agência de Restaurantes Online S.A." and "Rappi Brasil Intermediação de Negócios LTDA." The study was carried out by the Regional Labor Superintendence in Rio de Janeiro from November 2021 to May 2023. Information collected during this operation, as documented in the final report by the Labor Inspectors, was applied within the framework of tasks devised by Robert Baldwin and Julia Black (2007) in their article titled "Really Responsive Regulation." By utilizing Baldwin and Black's analytical framework, the study aimed to identify practical aspects that need to be addressed to ensure the effectiveness of responsive regulation. This framework served as a diagnostic tool for identifying operational deficiencies in the performance of Labor Inspectors during the inspection of digital platform companies.
[Findings] Based on the proposed methodology, this article emphasizes that Labor Inspection encounters deficiencies in four core elements of analysis: detecting undesired behavior, responding to unwanted behavior using instruments and strategies, enforcing those tools and strategies on the ground, and assessing their success or failure, and modifying them when necessary.
[Practical implications] The study suggests the need for reform not only in the discipline of administrative procedures adopted internally by Labor Inspection but, more importantly, the need to align Labor Inspection with the regulatory universe in which it operates. A truly responsive regulation would enable Labor Inspection to develop better instruments and strategies through inter-institutional cooperation with other administrative bodies and the judiciary. This approach aims to enhance the state's response and regulatory effectiveness.
[Originality/value] This article contributes to the current debate surrounding the nature of labor relations and the most effective regulatory approaches to promote decent work in digital platform companies. The presented analysis sheds light on a new perspective of the discussion from the standpoint of responsive regulation.
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