Employment protection (EP)
 
 
 
Overall EP strictness
Scale 0-6
EP strictness for regular
employment
Scale 0-6
EP strictness for temporary
employment
Scale 0-6
Additional requirements for
collective dismissals
Scale 0-6
1998
2008
1998
2008
1998
2008
1998
2008
 
Australia
1.5
 
1.4
 
1.5
 
1.4
 
0.9
 
0.9
 
2.9
 
2.9
 
 
Austria
2.4
 
2.2
 
2.9
 
2.4
 
1.5
 
1.5
 
3.2
 
3.2
 
 
Belgium
2.5
 
2.5
 
1.7
 
1.7
 
2.6
 
2.6
 
4.1
 
4.1
 
 
Canada
1.1
 
1.1
 
1.2
 
1.2
 
0.2
 
0.2
 
2.6
 
2.6
 
 
Czech Republic
1.9
 
2.0
 
3.3
 
3.0
 
0.5
 
0.9
 
2.1
 
2.1
 
 
Denmark
1.9
 
1.8
 
1.6
 
1.6
 
1.4
 
1.4
 
3.9
 
3.1
 
 
Finland
2.2
 
2.0
 
2.3
 
2.2
 
1.9
 
1.8
 
2.6
 
2.4
 
 
France
2.8
 
2.9
 
2.3
 
2.5
 
3.6
 
3.6
 
2.1
 
2.1
 
 
Germany
2.6
 
2.4
 
2.7
 
3.0
 
2.0
 
1.2
 
3.8
 
3.8
 
 
Greece
3.5
 
2.8
 
2.2
 
2.3
 
4.8
 
3.1
 
3.2
 
3.2
 
 
Hungary
1.5
 
1.8
 
1.9
 
1.9
 
0.6
 
1.4
 
2.9
 
2.9
 
 
Iceland
..
 
1.6
 
..
 
1.7
 
..
 
0.6
 
..
 
3.5
 
 
Ireland
1.2
 
1.3
 
1.6
 
1.6
 
0.2
 
0.6
 
2.4
 
2.4
 
 
Italy
3.1
 
2.4
 
1.8
 
1.8
 
3.6
 
2.0
 
4.9
 
4.9
 
 
Japan
1.6
 
1.4
 
1.9
 
1.9
 
1.4
 
1.0
 
1.5
 
1.5
 
 
Korea
2.0
 
1.9
 
2.4
 
2.4
 
1.7
 
1.4
 
1.9
 
1.9
 
 
Luxembourg
..
 
3.4
 
..
 
2.8
 
..
 
3.8
 
..
 
3.9
 
 
Mexico
3.2
 
3.2
 
2.2
 
2.2
 
4.0
 
4.0
 
3.8
 
3.8
 
 
Netherlands
2.8
 
2.1
 
3.1
 
2.7
 
2.4
 
1.2
 
3.0
 
3.0
 
 
New Zealand
0.8
 
1.2
 
1.4
 
1.6
 
0.4
 
1.2
 
0.4
 
0.4
 
 
Norway
2.7
 
2.7
 
2.2
 
2.2
 
3.1
 
3.1
 
2.9
 
2.9
 
 
Poland
1.9
 
2.2
 
2.1
 
2.1
 
0.8
 
1.8
 
4.1
 
3.6
 
 
Portugal
3.5
 
2.9
 
4.3
 
4.2
 
3.0
 
2.1
 
2.9
 
1.9
 
 
Slovak Republic
2.2
 
1.8
 
2.5
 
2.5
 
1.1
 
0.4
 
4.0
 
3.8
 
 
Spain
3.0
 
3.0
 
2.6
 
2.5
 
3.2
 
3.5
 
3.1
 
3.1
 
 
Sweden
2.5
 
2.2
 
2.9
 
2.9
 
1.6
 
0.9
 
3.8
 
3.8
 
 
Switzerland
1.6
 
1.6
 
1.2
 
1.2
 
1.1
 
1.1
 
3.9
 
3.9
 
 
Turkey
3.4
 
3.5
 
2.6
 
2.6
 
4.9
 
4.9
 
1.6
 
2.4
 
 
United Kingdom
1.0
 
1.1
 
1.0
 
1.1
 
0.2
 
0.4
 
2.9
 
2.9
 
 
United States
0.6
 
0.6
 
0.2
 
0.2
 
0.2
 
0.2
 
2.9
 
2.9
 
 
OECD-Total
2.2
 
2.1
 
2.1
 
2.1
 
1.9
 
1.8
 
3.0
 
3.0
 
Last updated: 2 October 2009
Note:  Next update: June 2010. OECD unweighted average.
Source: OECD Employment Outlook. For further details, see: sources, definitions and related studies.