COVID-19 and the labour market

The analysis entitled “COVID-19 and the labour market” was prepared within the project “Increasing productivity by improving the legal framework for labour relations in North Macedonia” funded by the Fund for Good Governance of the United Kingdom and aims to determine the consequences of the health crisis and the impact on the labour market of the measures adopted as a response to the crisis. The research question that the team is trying to answer is the following: “How did the health crisis affect the labour market and how should the legislation be amended in order to make a more resilient labour market which is prepared for the coming economic crisis?” The analysis included the measures adopted by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia to tackle the pandemic. This was followed by the relevant national legislation on labour relations and protection of public health, but also international regulations and standards, adopted by the International Labour Organisation and the European Union. The analysis also examines the experience of the European Union and the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo. Finally, the analysis considers the views of three groups of stakeholders, public officers, workers and employers through qualitative research, as well as analysis of citizens’ attitudes and perceptions regarding the pandemic and how to deal with it, provided through quantitative research. Finally, the analysis draws conclusions and gives recommendations aimed at analysing the segments and dealing with the pandemic, and could contribute to improving the labour market and reducing the negative effects of the pandemic in the following period.