Leader: Luisa Corazza (UNIMOL); Other collaborator(s): (UNIMOL)
Care-work is a significant field of research for the labour market: on the one side, the strong presence of female workers leads to a dynamic of segregation, exclusion and exploitation; on the other side, ageing claims for greater investment in long-term care services, together with the growing female employment rate in the labour market, which has decreased the availability of unpaid care work. The lack of adequate economic resources, the shortage of workforce and the under-financing of personal assistance as a consequence of the privatisation of care services heavily affected working conditions in care sector. The recent Italian reform on older people (law n.33/2023) defines measures aimed at improving home and continuous care for dependent older people and their families (caregivers), as well as promoting policies in favour of active ageing. Additionally, the pandemic stressed the role of care-work in areas that are naturally disadvantaged from a geographical point of view, such as remote, mountainous or sparsely populated areas (so called “inner areas”). This task will:
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results: The research activity of Task 6 focused on the following points:
During this period, Task 6 conducted a literature review on care work and wage-related dynamics - such as collective bargaining in the care sector and minimum wage frameworks - and examining informal care work and labour exploitation, with a particular focus on women’s employment conditions.
During this period, Task 6 advanced its research activities and contributed to the Spoke 5 Conference, Sustainability of Elder Care Systems in an Aging Society, held at the University of Molise, Termoli, Italy, by presenting a contribution entitled “The care of Dependent Elderly Between Work and Caregiving. Caregiving Methods and Prospects for Reform”.
During this period, Task 6 advanced substantially in the implementation phase of the research, which focused on the following theme: In Italy, the care of dependent elderly has traditionally relied on a family-based welfare model, often referred to as “do-it-yourself welfare.” In recent decades, this system has faced profound challenges due to demographic, economic, and labour market transformations, including population aging and increased female labour participation. These changes underscore the urgent need to develop regulatory frameworks for elderly care beyond family provision, with particular attention to: (a) the regulation of the domestic labour market, including legal and contractual working conditions; and (b) the prevention of abuse and labour exploitation in both domestic and socio-healthcare care work.
During this period, the research progressed to an advanced stage. Task 6 completed scientific publications.
Task 6 is participating in the call for papers for the Second General Meeting of the program, which will be held in Naples from 29 to 31 October 2025 at the University of Naples “Federico II”, by presenting a contribution entitled “Home Caregivers and Intersectional Discrimination: The Dark Side of the Care Sector”. The paper aims at questioning Courts and Policy makers about the impact of the emerging concept of intersectional discrimination into EU law, with specific regard to the regulation of employment in the care sector. To address this issue, the analysis must consider several key contextual factors: a) Law No. 339 of 2 April 1958, which governs this sector, has never been updated; b) Regulation relies heavily on collective bargaining, which is highly fragmented; c) The sector has a high prevalence of irregular and undeclared work, largely due to the significant presence of migrant workers.
During this period, the research focused on the following topics, with particular attention to domestic work, which is characterized by pronounced gender and racial disparities. The overrepresentation of migrant women in this sector may expose them to forms of gender, race or intersectional discrimination. EU law has recently incorporated the concept of intersectional discrimination in several European Directives - specifically (EU) 2023/970, 2024/1385, 2024/1500 and 2024/1499. The research explores the possible implications of recognising intersectionality as a legally enforceable concept on the regulation of domestic work. Specifically, it asks whether such recognition can strengthen legal protections and help mitigate the multiple forms of labour exploitation faced by (migrant) women in the care sector.