Abstract

The labour policies pursued by the Italian government in the last fifteen years have been based mainly on reducing labor costs and increasing flexibility. The recent labor law (n. 78/2014) is fully in line with these principles: it facilitates the use of fixed-term employment contracts and will increase the number of apprentices that companies can use without first stabilizing the rest. Nevertheless the law is presented as the first act of a broader reform - called Jobs Act - which would point to greater stability of employment and greater respect for labor contracts.