The work is a record of the proceedings of the 18th National Conference on Labor Law organized by EDEKA and the Research Center for Labor Law at the University of Athens in collaboration with the Bar Association of Syros, addressing the fundamental legal concept of dependency in labor law.

The inclusion or exclusion of the work provided on behalf of another within the concept of dependency has enormous practical significance for the application of the specific rules of labor law, which are primarily of a mandatory nature, at both individual and collective levels, creating a multi-layered protection framework for employees.

In relationships of dependent employment, labor law includes rules protecting the personal rights of employees as well as vulnerable social groups (minors, pregnant women, persons with disabilities), while simultaneously defining the limits of contractual freedom for employees and employers, particularly concerning the temporal limits of work provision, payment of wages even when work is not provided, payment of additional wages, and extra compensation in cases of exceeding legal work time limits (overtime, night work, etc.).

In the collective dimension of dependent work, a particular role is reserved for social partners and trade unions, whose action is recognized at a constitutional level through collective autonomy and union freedom. Additionally, collective bargaining for the formation of collective agreements, which set minimum protection thresholds for workers within their scope, is regulated; within the framework of self-regulation of collective disputes, mediation and arbitration are established, and a reconciliation process is provided.

The book delineates all aspects of the issue and serves as a valuable guide for legal researchers and practitioners.