Platform workers are often classified as independent contractors rather than employees. However, this classification becomes increasingly questionable, especially in light of the use of AI-driven management systems by digital platforms. This course explores how courts and legislators across Europe are addressing the issue, with a focus on the impact of the Platform Work Directive on the legal classification of platform workers.
The course is organized into 5 weeks. Each week includes several lessons, consisting of videos, written texts and assessment quizzes.
Week 1 – Digital labour platforms and platform workers
Week 2 – Employment, self-employment and third categories: the legal framework
Week 3 – A comparative journey throughout some EU Member States: the classification saga regarding platform workers
Week 4 – The EU steps in: Directive (EU) 2024/2831 and the presumption of existence of an employment relationship
Week 5 – Implications for EU Member States
By the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate:
Knowledge and understanding:
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Describe and explain the main legal challenges related to the classification of platform workers
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Illustrate national and EU legal frameworks, including Directive (EU) 2024/2831, and their comparative implications
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Interpret key sources such as legislation and case law
Ability to apply knowledge:
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Apply legal knowledge to assess the classification of platform workers in real-world scenarios
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Evaluate the impact of EU presumption of employment on national labour law and platform practices.
Autonomy and critical thinking:
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Independently analyze regulatory and case law responses, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses
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Formulate reasoned critiques and proposals for reform in the context of digital labour platforms
Communication skills:
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Clearly express complex legal arguments in oral and written form
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Construct well-founded, structured arguments integrating EU, national, and comparative perspectives
The assessment of learning will take place through a final multiple-choice test, designed to verify the overall understanding of the content covered in the five educational modules. The test will be accessible exclusively to students who have completed the entire program and will provide a comprehensive overview of the topics addressed, with the aim of consolidating and evaluating the skills acquired.
The final examination will therefore combine a first part focused on assessing knowledge with a second part that requires students not only to recall information but also to demonstrate their ability to apply it in practice.
In particular, the final test will also require students to engage with case studies that were not previously discussed in the lessons, designed to assess their capacity to critically apply the knowledge they have acquired. To this end, they will be redirected to excerpts from court rulings, newspaper articles, or videos, which they are expected to carefully review in order to successfully complete the test.
The course is structured through video lessons and supplementary educational materials, such as PowerPoint presentations, regulatory texts, and case law, designed to support both understanding and in-depth exploration of the content. Each video is accompanied by a short three-question multiple-choice quiz, allowing students to independently verify their comprehension and decide whether to proceed to the next lesson.
At the end of each module, students will complete a comprehensive quiz to assess their level of preparation and gain access to the following module.
The quizzes following individual videos can be taken immediately after viewing the lesson, while those at the end of each module also require studying the supplementary materials provided.
The course does not require any mandatory prerequisites. However, a basic legal background is recommended, and prior knowledge of labour law would be particularly beneficial. In any case, the course is designed to be accessible, and key concepts will be thoroughly introduced and explained.
Giovanni Gaudio
Elisa Parodi
Giovanni Gaudio
giovanni.gaudio@unito.it
Elisa Parodi
elisaparodi@unito.it
For technical issues:
edvancedeh@unito.it