Focusing on public administration activities in the field of national labour policy, this timely book provides detailed analyses of labour administration reforms, innovations and challenges in different countries, including detailed case studies from Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the US. Combining rigorous research and practical policy recommendations, the book contains contributions from top scholars in the fields of economics, employment relations, labour law and public administration, as well as officials from the International Labour Organization (ILO). Chapters offer wide-ranging investigations of topics such as labour inspection, social dialogue involving employer organizations and trade unions, and the role of performance management and new technologies in labour administration. The book further demonstrates the vital role of labour administration in upholding employment rights and promoting employment, emphasizing the ways in which it can contribute to good governance, sustainable development and decent work. This will be a critical read for employment relations, global labour studies and public administration scholars. Policy makers and practitioners working in and around employment policy and labour law will also find this book beneficial, particularly with its in-depth case studies.

The 2008 financial crisis marked the beginning of a prolonged and ongoing period of extreme economic turbulence that has created multiple challenges for both governments and national systems of labour administration. Difficult economic conditions are encouraging a reevaluation of established policies and institutions in the areas of labour, employment, social protection and industrial relations. This book analyses recent reforms in labour administration and national labour policies, charting their development and discussing the challenges and opportunities faced by governments, ministries of labor, labor inspectors, employer organizations and trade unions.The contributors draw upon new and original research to explore issues including labour law, public employment services, labour inspection and industrial relations. They evaluate the effectiveness of implementation, addressing questions relating to the structure and management of labour ministries, regulatory bodies and the resources that they have at their disposal. Future prospects for labor administration are also considered. This book will prove a thought-provoking read for academics, researchers and students of economics - particularly labour economics, social policy and public administration. Policy-makers and practitioners involved with labor administration at any level will also find this book to be an invaluable reference tool. Contributors: N. Countouris, M. Freedland, J. Heyes, R. Hyman, C.T. King, D. Koeltz, M. Luz Vega, L. Rychly, J.T. Weishaupt