Definition of Employment Relationships in the New Economy: Legal Challenges and Proposals for Reform

Zhixin Liu

doi:10.54691/hh95v276

Authors

Zhixin Liu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/hh95v276

Keywords:

New employment forms; Employment relationship; Platform economy; Algorithmic management.

Abstract

The rapid development of the digital economy, particularly the rise of platform-based business models, has posed significant challenges to the traditional theoretical and legal frameworks for determining employment relationships. In emerging work arrangements such as ride-hailing drivers and food delivery couriers, the relationship between workers and platform companies defies conventional classification. It neither fully aligns with standard employment relationships nor neatly fits into the category of civil contractual relationships. This legal ambiguity has sparked ongoing scholarly debates about the definition and criteria for the identification of employment relationships in the new economy. Through a systematic review of extant literature, this article synthesizes the predominant theoretical perspectives, prevailing legal standards, and practical dilemmas in the classification of platform-based work relationships. Furthermore, it explores potential pathways for legal and institutional reforms to address these challenges and ultimately ensure that regulatory frameworks evolve in tandem with the realities of the digital labor market.

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