معرفی
Merle Erikson is a full-time professor of Labour Law at the University of Tartu's Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Law. She has held this position since 2016 and previously served as an associate professor (dotsent) from 2003–2011. She has also been a visiting professor at Meiji University (April–June 2024). Her research focuses on Estonian and comparative labour law, European social policy, occupational health and safety, digital labour relations, and whistleblower protection.
Education: PhD in Law (2001) and MA in Legal Studies (1996) from the University of Tartu, with studies focused on labour law integration into the EU framework and protection of employee rights during corporate restructuring.
Research interests include the legal status of workers in the gig economy, algorithmic management, mandatory vaccination policies in employment contexts, and transnational industrial relations. She has authored over 100 publications, including articles on telework regulations and comparative labour law analysis across the Baltic States.
Key awards include the Tartu University Aumärk (2009) and multiple prizes from the Estonian Academy of Sciences and Avatud Eesti Fond. She has led over 30 projects for the European Commission, including studies on occupational safety directives and digitalization of industrial relations. Currently coordinates the COSMO project on future of work.
Active in academic leadership: served as Dean of Legal Studies at the University of Tartu (2008–2015), head of the Labour and Social Security Law Department (2003–2006), and member of multiple national and EU policy committees. Organized major conferences like the 38th Juridica Days (2024) and Marco Biagi Memorials in Italy.
Expertise includes legal frameworks for platform workers, cross-border labour disputes, and EU labour directives implementation. Her recent work addresses challenges posed by AI in workplace governance and telework safety standards.