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Legal Uncertainty and Structural Injustice of Platform Workers: Reasserting the State’s Responsibility in Legal Protection

Jurnal IUS (Kajian Hukum dan Keadilan) · Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026) · pp. 159–181

DOI
10.29303/ius.v14i1.1872
ISSN
2477-815X, 2303-3827
Published
2026-04-30
Publisher
Magister of Law, Faculty of Law, University of Mataram
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

The development of the platform economy in Indonesia has significantly transformed employment patterns, yet this transformation has not been companied by an adequate legal framework, resulting in legal uncertainty and structural injustice. This study aims to examine the structural roots of such uncertainty, analyse the problems in the relationship between platform companies and workers, and reaffirm the state’s responsibility to ensure legal certainty. Adopting an empirical juridical method with doctrinal and non-doctrinal approaches, the study finds that legal uncertainty is driven by multidimensional factors. These include the failure to internalise justice principles in the protection of platform workers, regulatory framework that remain ad hoc, sectoral, and frequently changing, a political configuration influenced by market logic and capitalism, and a gap between the evolving practices of platform work and the existing legal framework. These conditions create ambiguity in worker status and reinforce structural injustice in employment relations. In this context, the state is required to perform a corrective function to address structural inequality by recognising worker status, providing protection that ensures legal certainty and effectiveness, and regulating the distribution of economic risks and benefits in a fair and proportional manner. This study proposes a conceptual framework based on three pillars—recognition, protection, and redistribution—as a foundation for adaptive and progressive legal reform, while also contributing theoretically and practically to the development of labour law in the digital era.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

31 authors · 83 co-authorship links · 1 across different organisations

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Robert Gordon University
  • University of Technology Malaysia
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Ridwan ArifinAffiliation unknown2
Bayangsari WedhatamiAffiliation unknown2
Riska AlkadriAffiliation unknown2
Fraz Ashraf KhanAffiliation unknown2
Heris SuhendarAffiliation unknown2
Farahdilah GhazaliAffiliation unknown1
Abdul Haseeb AnsariAffiliation unknown1
Muhamad Sayuti HassanAffiliation unknown1
Putu SamawatiAffiliation unknown1
Nashriana NashrianaAffiliation unknown1
Vera NoviantiAffiliation unknown1
AYON DINIYANTOAffiliation unknown1
Bunga Desyana PratamiAffiliation unknown1
Shofian bin AhmadAffiliation unknown1
Nurul Aini BaniUniversity of Technology Malaysia1
Firdaus Muhammad‐SukkiRobert Gordon University1
Abdullahi Abubakar Mas’udAffiliation unknown1
Mu’azu Mohammed AbdullahiAffiliation unknown1
Ibrahim Abubakar Mas’udAffiliation unknown1
Jorge Alfredo Ardila-ReyAffiliation unknown1
Ahmad Shakir Mohd SaudiAffiliation unknown1
Asan Vernyuy WirbaAffiliation unknown1
Iza Rumesten RSAffiliation unknown1
Saut Parulian PanjaitanAffiliation unknown1
Joni EmirsonAffiliation unknown1
Iqbal KamalludinAffiliation unknown1
Raihanah AbdullahAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) http://jurnalius.ac.id/ojs/index.php/jurnalIUS/oai, first harvested 9 Nov 2026, last seen 9 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en-US">Legal Uncertainty and Structural Injustice of Platform Workers: Reasserting the State’s Responsibility in Legal Protection </dc:title>
	<dc:creator>Sofiani, Trianah</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Suci Flambonita</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Yunas Derta Luluardi</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Ridoan Karim</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Ambiguity</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Injustice</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Legal certainty</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Platform workers</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Welfare state</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en-US">The development of the platform economy in Indonesia has significantly transformed employment patterns, yet this transformation has not been companied by an adequate legal framework, resulting in legal uncertainty and structural injustice. This study aims to examine the structural roots of such uncertainty, analyse the problems in the relationship between platform companies and workers, and reaffirm the state’s responsibility to ensure legal certainty. Adopting an empirical juridical method with doctrinal and non-doctrinal approaches, the study finds that legal uncertainty is driven by multidimensional factors. These include the failure to internalise justice principles in the protection of platform workers, regulatory framework that remain ad hoc, sectoral, and frequently changing, a political configuration influenced by market logic and capitalism, and a gap between the evolving practices of platform work and the existing legal framework. These conditions create ambiguity in worker status and reinforce structural injustice in employment relations. In this context, the state is required to perform a corrective function to address structural inequality by recognising worker status, providing protection that ensures legal certainty and effectiveness, and regulating the distribution of economic risks and benefits in a fair and proportional manner. This study proposes a conceptual framework based on three pillars—recognition, protection, and redistribution—as a foundation for adaptive and progressive legal reform, while also contributing theoretically and practically to the development of labour law in the digital era.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en-US">Magister of Law, Faculty of Law, University of Mataram</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-04-30</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
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	<dc:type xml:lang="en-US">Peer-Reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://jurnalius.ac.id/ojs/index.php/jurnalIUS/article/view/1872</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.29303/ius.v14i1.1872</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en-US">Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum dan Keadilan; Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum dan Keadilan; 159-181</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2477-815X</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2303-3827</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.29303/ius.v14i1</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://jurnalius.ac.id/ojs/index.php/jurnalIUS/article/view/1872/708</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">Copyright (c) 2026 Trianah  Sofiani, Suci Flambonita, Yunas Derta Luluardi, Ridoan Karim</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
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