DIGITALIZATION OF LABOUR RELATIONS: LEGAL REGULATION OF REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal regulation of remote and hybrid work in the context of the digitalization of labour relations. It is substantiated that the introduction of information and communication technologies leads to a transformation of traditional approaches to work organization, which has become particularly relevant in Ukraine under martial law. The study examines the essence and legal nature of remote and hybrid work, identifies their key characteristics, and determines their place within the system of modern labour relations. The current legislation of Ukraine is analyzed, in particular the provisions of the Labour Code of Ukraine, as well as recent amendments introduced by the Law of Ukraine dated March 27, 2025 No. 4339-IX, aimed at improving the legal regulation of remote work.Special attention is paid to the challenges of ensuring labour rights in the digital environment, including issues related to working time accounting, ensuring the right to rest, defining the limits of employer control, and the qualification of legal relations. The article also analyzes current judicial practice and outlines its role in shaping approaches to law enforcement. Based on the conducted research, the key problems of legal regulation of remote and hybrid work are identified, and directions for its improvement are formulated, taking into account European standards. In particular, the necessity of legal recognition of hybrid work, the introduction of the right to disconnect, improvement of working time regulation mechanisms, and the development of electronic labour law are substantiated. It is concluded that effective legal regulation of remote and hybrid work is an importantcondition for ensuring a proper balance between flexibility in labour relations and the protection of employees’ rights, as well as for adapting the labour market to the challenges of the digital economy. Particular attention is also paid to the need to ensure an appropriate level of legal certainty in the field of digital labour relations, which requires the improvement of mechanisms for the legal protection of employees, the adaptation of national legislation to the conditions of digital transformation, and the strengthening of the role of judicial practice in developing unified approaches to resolving labour disputes. It is emphasized that further development of the legal regulation of remote and hybrid work should be carried out in accordance with the principles of social justice, legal certainty, and the priority of human rights, which corresponds to current trends in the development of labour law in the context of globalization and European integration.