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Measuring Multidimensional Labour Law Violation with an Application to South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Haroon Bhorat
  • Ravi Kanbur
  • Benjamin Stanwix
  • Amy Thornton

    (Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town)

Abstract

The rights of workers contained in labour law are multidimensional, yet analysts tend to concentrate on compliance one dimension at a time. How should we conceptualise and measure compliance with labour law in its totality? This paper draws on the multidimensional poverty literature to propose a measure of multidimensional labour law violation, which allows a quantification of the contribution of compliance along different dimensions. This index is applied to South Africa to illustrate its workings and the insights it can provide on the nature and granular structure of labour law compliance and worker vulnerability.

Suggested Citation

  • Haroon Bhorat & Ravi Kanbur & Benjamin Stanwix & Amy Thornton, 2020. "Measuring Multidimensional Labour Law Violation with an Application to South Africa," Working Papers 202002, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.
    • Handle: RePEc:ctw:wpaper:202002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Haroon Bhorat & Tim Köhler & Morné Oosthuizen & Amy Thornton & Ben Stanwix & François Steenkamp, 2020. "The Economics of Covid-19 in South Africa: Early Impressions," Working Papers 202004, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.
    3. Ronconi, Lucas & Raphael, Steven, 2024. "Measuring Effective Labor Regulation in the Less Developed World: Recent Advances and Challenges Ahead," IZA Policy Papers 210, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Timothy Köhler & Haroon Bhorat & Robert Hill, 2023. "The effect of wage subsidies on job retention in a developing country: Evidence from South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-114, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Haroon Bhorat & Caitlin Allen Whitehead & David de Villiers, . "The Technology Gap in the Developing World and the G20: An Empirical Profile," Chapters,, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

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    Keywords

    multidimensional; labour law; violation; compliance; index of violation; South Africa; worker vulnerability;
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