Italy: “Job Act” bill (in Italian)

The government succeeded in getting the text of its "Jobs Act" passed by the senate on 8 October 2014. The framework law provides for a far-reaching series of measures concerning different aspects of the employment relationship.
The crux of the debate concerns the introduction of a unified permanent work contract which envisages increased protection on the basis of seniority. Although this provision is not explicitly stated, this would allow revision of the infamous article 18 of the labour code (law No. 300/1970) relating to sanctions in the case of unjustified dismissals in companies with more than 15 employees. In other respects, the text envisages measures to enhance the work-life balance, as well as to introduce greater flexibility, for instance in the allocation of tasks. If it passes unchanged to the chamber of deputies, this will enable the government to regulate these matters directly by legislative decree.