NPR (01.03.2018) Employees in South Korea work long hours: 2,069 hours per worker annually – the second-highest among the Economic Cooperation and Development states, after Mexico. In the United States, that figure is 1,783. Those long hours went hand-in-hand with the country's booming economy in the 1980s and '90s. But for all those hours worked, South Korea's labor productivity is low, and so is population growth — the country has one of the world's lowest birth rates.  This week its parliament passed a bill that aims to restore some quality of life, by cutting the maximum workweek to 52 hours — down from 68.

oecd-forum.org (23.01.2018) As India's Prime Minister headlines the Davos gathering and highlights the country's unique situation and economic potential, it is important to note that India can offer two major digital innovations to the world: the number zero and a unique ID system for a billion people. With mismanagement and lack of visionary leadership and innovation, its contributions could reduce to a single one: a big zero.

OpenGov is a content platform, dedicated to sharing ICT-related knowledge and information between governments. We focus on the public sector in the Asia-Pacific region. We help governments become more Efficient, Agile, Transparent and Secure, so as to improve the lives of their citizens.

Publication | Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Digital work platforms are transforming labor markets around the world. Firms that own, manage and deploy these work platforms have reframed employer–worker relations by defining their core business as the provision of the technology that enables certain services to be provided rather than the provision of those services, and offering their workers independent contractor arrangements rather than employee contracts. This has significant consequences in terms of wages, jobs security and other working conditions. Digital work platforms also increase worker welfare by offering unparalleled flexibility in setting work hours and most permit a workday to be segmented, allowing certain parts of the population who otherwise would not be able to work (due to other commitments or constraints) to have some source of income. At the same time, they pose significant challenges in the labor market. Companies replace employees with contract workers to control costs but this may lead to lower pay, benefits, and job security. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a policy debate on how to best prepare workers for this new reality. This document describes three main concerns: the issue of worker misclassification in digital work platforms, the lack of social security systems for workers in the gig economy that are not considered employees, and the problems that the isolating nature of on-demand work presents with respect to worker organization and the right to collective bargaining.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .-- Introduction .-- I. Labor issues regarding the on-demand economy .-- A. Non-standard employment and employee misclassification. B. Social security in the on-demand economy. C. Collective bargaining .-- II. Looking forward.

Measuring Progress towards Universal
Health Coverage

astanatimes.com (15.02.2018) The Kazakh Ministry of Labour and Social Protection will focus on formalising the self-employed workforce and continue digital transformation in the field in 2018, according to newly-appointed Minister Madina Abylkassymova.

The Practitioner's toolkit for PES Building Career Guidance and Lifelong Learning presents concepts and tools for public employment services (PES) to assess needs and strengthen the career guidance and lifelong learning system and services.

PES have a major role to play in career guidance and lifelong learning, especially considering the increased demands for a skilled labour force in a constantly changing labour market.

The practitioner’s toolkit provides answers to the following questions, among others:

• Which partners can PES cooperate with?
• Which services should be offered to people at different stages of a lifecycle?

Moreover, it provides a template for drafting an action plan. It uses instruments like forecasting, partnership building, collaboration with employers, a multi-channelling approach, staff monitoring and capacity building.

Le Temps (13.02.2018) Le salariat s’effiloche et c’est tout notre système social qui devra être revu pour protéger les travailleurs vulnérables de la «gig economy». A l’ère du travail indépendant et des robots collaboratifs, il faudra trouver le moyen d’asseoir une solidarité 4.0

CEPAL (09.02.2018)  La versión 2017 presenta información actualizada para un conjunto seleccionado de indicadores socio-demográficos, económicos y ambientales de los países de América Latina y el Caribe.

Vietnam News (07.02.2018) The average Vietnamese lives to 73.4 years - 70.8 for men and 76.1 for women. However, the average retirement age for both men and women is only 54.2 years old, 55.6 for men and 52.6 for women. Generally speaking, the years of participating in social-insurance for men is 28 years and 23 years for women while their years of enjoying the retirement pension is 18.1 years for men and 24.5 years for women.

allAfrica (12.02.2018) Although, Ethiopia has an array of formal and informal support mechanisms, programs, action plans and interventions that aims at serving a variety of social protection purposes, the most direct - the National Social Policy - is designed as part and parcel of an integrated approach to the progressive realization of social and economic rights noted in article 41 of the constitution, which state, "The State shall, within available means, allocate resources to provide rehabilitation and assistance to the physically and mentally disabled, the aged, and to children who are left without parents or guardian." Yet,the country doesn't, have a comprehensive and integrated social protection system as well as a strong social welfare system and structure.

Jamaica Information Service (19.02.2018) A sum of $6 million has been allocated to the Integrated Social Protection and Labour Programme in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, which got under way in December 2012, aims to support the Government of Jamaica’s efforts to improve human capital and labour market outcomes for the poor by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of key social-protection programmes

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division

forbes.com (08.05.2017) Blockchain technology is making headlines everywhere. If you have recently attended any tech events it is highly likely that you came out of them having heard just that bit more about it. Everybody is talking about blockchain--from the President of the United States to the Nigerian government.

It’s no secret that America has a complicated relationship with healthcare. And with all the uncertainty of 2017 looming large over 2018, it can feel like a subject you just want to avoid reading about altogether.

But one startup is out to change all that. SimplyVital Health is using blockchain technology to give the healthcare industry a facelift.

The company has developed two products, both of which address different aspects and targets within the industry: ConnectingCare and Health Nexus.

ILO (22.02.2018) The ILO and UNHCR launch the Azraq Centre for Employment to help refugees access work permits and find employment.  The Azraq Centre for Employment (ACE), set up in coordination with the Government of Jordan and sponsored by the Dutch Government, aims to facilitate access to formal work opportunities across Jordan for Syrian refugees living in the camp.

OdishaDiary  (222.02.2018) Bhubaneswar: Work plays a central role in people’s lives. Therefore, work environments should be safe and healthy. Yet this is not the case for many workers. Every day workers all over the world are faced with a multitude of health hazards and even there are instances of fatal injuries. This, of course, prompted a number of legislations by government and a series of collective and concerted actions by industry stakeholders. Even so, we cannot afford to let up on our efforts. Workplace safety and health cannot be compromised and it needs to be given always a top priority, said Governor Dr. S.C. Jamir.

Report McKinsey Global Institute (October 2017) Europe, while making progress, is behind the US and China in capturing the opportunities of artificial intelligence and automation. Digitization is everywhere, but adoption is uneven across companies, sectors, and economies, and the leaders are capturing most of the benefits. Accelerating progress in AI and automation now bring further opportunities for users, businesses, and the economy. Europe, while making progress, is behind the United States and China. This briefing note was prepared for the European Union Heads of State Tallinn Digital Summit, which brought together heads of state and CEOs to discuss the steps needed to enable people, enterprises, and governments to fully tap into the potential of innovative technologies and digitization.

TDG (22.02.2018) De plus en plus de personnes sans emploi terminent à l'aide sociale. Une situation qui nécessite une action pour la Conférence suisse des institutions d'action sociale.

La Prensa (21.02.2018) En mayo 2017, el McKinsey Global Institute se sumó al creciente número de organizaciones que se pronuncian con respecto al impacto de la tecnología sobre el futuro del trabajo. En un informe preparado por James Manyika, titulado Tecnología, empleos y el futuro del trabajo, advierte que la automatización, las plataformas digitales y otras innovaciones están cambiando la naturaleza fundamental del trabajo, por lo que comprender estos cambios puede ayudar a los líderes políticos, empresariales y sindicales a sacar provecho de estas tendencias.La automatización habilitada por tecnologías que incluyen la robótica e inteligencia artificial ofrece la promesa de una mayor productividad, eficiencia, seguridad y comodidad.menos al 323-6400.

The SIMS (The Information System on Labor Markets and Social Security) is the main source of information on labor markets in Latin America and the Caribbean. It contains comparable statistics, institutional information and academic publications about labor markets in IDB country members. This platform, thought as a tool for researchers and labor policymakers, aims to support development initiatives in the region by strengthening evidence-based policy design. The IDB Labor Markets Division (LMK) created the SIMS in 2015 as an open space for decision makers, labor-market experts, researchers, university students and key regional stakeholders who have a special interest in the areas of labor policy, skills development, employability and social security.

Diario Digital Nuestro País (20.02.2018) Representantes de los sectores sociales en la Mesa de Diálogo que aborda el tema de la informalidad en el mercado de trabajo, firmaron este 20 de febrero el acuerdo de implementación de la Estrategia Integral de Transición a la Economía Formal en Costa Rica, que tiene como objetivo facilitar la transición de las personas trabajadoras y las unidades económicas de la economía informal a la economía formal.

Diario Digital Nuestro País (20.02.2018) Representantes de los sectores sociales en la Mesa de Diálogo que aborda el tema de la informalidad en el mercado de trabajo, firmaron este 20 de febrero el acuerdo de implementación de la Estrategia Integral de Transición a la Economía Formal en Costa Rica, que tiene como objetivo facilitar la transición de las personas trabajadoras y las unidades económicas de la economía informal a la economía formal.