E-learning course on Strengthening and Modernizing Labour Inspection

Labour inspection is an essential part of the labour administration system, carrying out the fundamental function of enforcement and effective compliance with labour legislation. Labour inspection has a two-fold nature: on the one hand it secures the enforcement of the legal provisions relating to conditions of work and the protection of workers while engaged in their work, such as provisions relating to hours of work, wages, maternity protection, but also occupational safety and health, the employment of young persons, and other connected matters. On the other hand, labour inspection provides technical information and advice to employers and workers concerning the most effective means of complying with the legal provisions. This dual nature means that labour inspection plays a key role to ensure fairness in the workplace and good governance of the labour market. The conditions under which labour inspection operates have changed dramatically in recent decades due to technological and economic developments and the effects of globalization. In this context, labour inspection must redefine its organization and intervention strategies, so that it can better respond to the expectations raised by the evolving labour markets. OBJECTIVES The course addressed the main features of a modern labour inspection system, and exposed participants to selected international best practice. It also provided participants with the opportunity to gain new insights, share experiences and reflect on key issues, trends and challenges to modernize their labour inspection system. At the end of the course participants were be able to: • Explain the principles, functions and main characteristics of labour inspection • Apply the ILO strategic compliance model • Describe the ILO guidelines for the inspection of the working conditions and the employment relationships • Plan and conduct labour inspection campaigns • Improve the inspection of safety and health at the workplace • Design and apply a labour inspection strategy for domestic workers • Apply new tools and information systems for labour inspection • Recognize good practices of labour inspection, including in response to COVID-19. CONTENT The course was divided into 7 modules on the following topics: 1. Introduction to labour inspection: principles, functions and main characteristics 2. Strategies of compliance 3. Inspection of working conditions 4. Inspection of the employment relationship 5. Inspection of occupational safety and health 6. Labour inspection visit 7. Tools for labour inspection. In addition, live sessions or webinars took place on the following topics: 1. Social dialogue and labour inspection 2. Moving towards a more strategic and effective labour inspection 3. Labour inspection and domestic workers 4. Labour inspection and new forms of employment 5. Labour inspection campaigns 6. Psychosocial risks and violence at work 7. Selected good practices of labour inspection including in response to COVID-19 8. Technological experiences from participating countries. NUMBER OF HOURS: 60 learning hours