SHIFTING PARADIGMS OF LABOR RIGHTS IN THE CONTEXT OF FLEXIBLE AND REMOTE EMPLOYMENT

Abstract

The relevance of this study is driven by the large-scale digital transformation of the labor market, which is reshaping traditional approaches to the legal regulation of labor relations, working time organization, and the provision of social guarantees. The rapid expansion of remote, hybrid, and flexible forms of employment necessitates a reconsideration of labor rights and the creation of effective mechanisms for their protection in the digital economy. The purpose of the research is to examine the transformation of labor rights in the context of remote and flexible employment and to identify key directions for improving legal regulation in Ukraine, taking into account international standards. The methodological framework is based on comparative legal, structural-functional, and content analysis methods, which enabled a systematic review of regulatory acts, analytical reports, and empirical data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other international sources. The findings indicate that remote work combines increased employee autonomy with new risks, including the blurring of working time boundaries, privacy violations, intensified digital control, and weakened collective solidarity. The study shows that European Union countries and the United Kingdom have already закрепили rights to flexibility, transparency of algorithmic management, and protection against excessive digital monitoring, while Ukrainian legislation remains only partially aligned with these principles. Gender differences in the impact of remote employment on psychological well-being were also identified. The practical significance of the research lies in recommendations for modernizing Ukrainian labor legislation, including the introduction of the “right to disconnect,” the presumption of employment relations in the gig economy, and the strengthening of social protection in the digital environment.