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Employment Law in the Digital Age in Regulating Freelance and Remote Workers Through a Comparative Review of Indonesia and Germany

Law Research Review Quarterly · Vol. 12 No. 3 (2026) · pp. 1269–1289

DOI
10.15294/lrrq.v12i3.44225
ISSN
2716-3415
Published
2026-03-06
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng

Abstract

The reality of employment relationships in Indonesia today far exceeds what is written in labor laws. The emergence of freelance and remote work trends due to digital technology has collided with laws that still rely on formal recognition. The research method used was normative legal research with a regulatory and comparative law approach. The results of the study point to the weak legal protection for freelance and remote workers, including wages, social security, occupational safety and health, and access to dispute resolution mechanisms. In comparison, German law has implemented an adaptive substantive approach. Employment status is assessed based on factual realities and economic dependence, even recognizing the category of quasi-independent workers (arbeitnehmerähnliche Personen) who receive legal protection. Through this comparison, a protection model based on the reality of employment relationships is more relevant to the current shifts in the world of work. On that basis, Indonesia needs to overhaul its labor law policies. By selectively absorbing German legal principles, Indonesia can build a stronger protective barrier for freelance and remote workers amid rapid digitalization.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 160 co-authorship links · showing the 40 most connected

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

  • State University of Semarang
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Wahyu DwiantoAffiliation unknown5
Danang Sudarwoko AdiAffiliation unknown4
Rodiyah RodiyahAffiliation unknown3
Muhammad Azil MaskurAffiliation unknown3
Yusup AminAffiliation unknown3
Winarsih WinarsihState University of Semarang2
Mutmainah Nur QoiriAffiliation unknown2
Rini FidiyaniAffiliation unknown2
Destika Santi Putri SarfitriAffiliation unknown2
Jamaluddin Jamal MuhsenAffiliation unknown2
Indah Sri UtariAffiliation unknown2
Diandra Preludio RamadaAffiliation unknown2
Putri Balqis Nuril HakimAffiliation unknown2
Ahmad Gelora MahardikaAffiliation unknown2
Ali MasyharAffiliation unknown2
Fitriani AbdiAffiliation unknown2
Salman AlfarisiAffiliation unknown2
Bayangsari WedhatamiAffiliation unknown2
Cindy Ayu PrasasiAffiliation unknown2
Dwi Ajias PramasariAffiliation unknown2
Titi KalimaAffiliation unknown2
Rohmah PariAffiliation unknown2
DjarwantoAffiliation unknown2
Listya Mustika DewiAffiliation unknown2
Raden Gunawan Hadi RahmantoAffiliation unknown2
Dyah Ayu AgustiningrumAffiliation unknown2
Imran Arra’d SofiantoAffiliation unknown2
Adik BahanawanAffiliation unknown2
Dimas TriwibowoAffiliation unknown2
Teguh DarmawanAffiliation unknown2
Martitah MartitahState University of Semarang1
Eko MukmintoState University of Semarang1
Bayangsari WedhatamiState University of Semarang1
Danu IbrahimAffiliation unknown1
Julinar Tyara Maharani PasaribuAffiliation unknown1
Aqila Acyuta EndrosavaAffiliation unknown1
Ubaidillah KamalAffiliation unknown1
Nizamuddin AliasAffiliation 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) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/snh/oai, first harvested 6 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Employment Law in the Digital Age in Regulating Freelance and Remote Workers Through a Comparative Review of Indonesia and Germany</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Cahyani, Adinda Intan</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Ratih Damayanti</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Employment Law</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">freelance workers</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">remote workers</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en"> legal protection</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">comparative law</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">The reality of employment relationships in Indonesia today far exceeds what is written in labor laws. The emergence of freelance and remote work trends due to digital technology has collided with laws that still rely on formal recognition. The research method used was normative legal research with a regulatory and comparative law approach. The results of the study point to the weak legal protection for freelance and remote workers, including wages, social security, occupational safety and health, and access to dispute resolution mechanisms. In comparison, German law has implemented an adaptive substantive approach. Employment status is assessed based on factual realities and economic dependence, even recognizing the category of quasi-independent workers (arbeitnehmerähnliche Personen) who receive legal protection. Through this comparison, a protection model based on the reality of employment relationships is more relevant to the current shifts in the world of work. On that basis, Indonesia needs to overhaul its labor law policies. By selectively absorbing German legal principles, Indonesia can build a stronger protective barrier for freelance and remote workers amid rapid digitalization.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-03-06</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
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	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/snh/article/view/44225</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/lrrq.v12i3.44225</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Law Research Review Quarterly; Vol. 12 No. 3 (2026): Articles in Press; 1269-1289</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2716-3415</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/lrrq.v12i3</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/snh/article/view/44225/8794</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Law Research Review Quarterly</dc:rights>
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