Freedom of expression and the termination of employment contracts
Hauptsächlicher Artikelinhalt
Abstract
Abstract:
This paper explores the concept of freedom of expression in the workplace. Due to the ongoing nature of an employment contract, the two parties usually involved in a dispute over freedom of expression, the censor and the speaker, are bound together legally. If an employer seeks to dismiss an employee, the employer needs to present a just cause for doing so. The dismissal is considered lawful only if the interests of the employer in ending the employment relationship outweigh the employee’s interest in keeping his/her job. The aim of the paper is to investigate whether invoking Art 10 ECHR could change this balancing of interests within the employment contract. To explore this research question, the article will initially provide an overview of Art 10 ECHR and its main contents. I will examine if these principles can also be applied to the context of Labor Law and what specific problems need to be taken into account when freedom of expression is invoked in the context of an employment relationship.
In conclusion, while Art 10 ECHR also applies in the workplace, certain professions will encounter greater restrictions to express their opinions. For instance, professions that are particularly visible in the public eye own their employer a special obligation to loyalty and confidentiality, so that even true information may only be disseminated in a moderate and appropriate form. Additionally, the professional code of conduct of liberal professions may also restrict free expression in the workplace. On the other hand, whenever the state acts – directly or indirectly – as the employer, any restrictions adopted to limit free expression of employees is considered a particularly severe interference, as, in addition to the individual employment relationship affected, other employees are also likely to be deterred from freely voicing their opinions in the future.
Keywords: Freedom of expression, Expression in the workplace, Labour Law, Termination of employment contracts
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