Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OECD Employment Protection Legislation (EPL) index?
The EPL index is a composite measure developed by the OECD that scores how strictly countries regulate the employment relationship on a 0–6 scale. A score of 0 means minimal employment protections (easy to hire and dismiss), while 6 means the most protective employment laws for workers. It covers regular employment, temporary employment, and collective dismissal rules.
Where does PlainEmploy's data come from?
Data comes from three international sources: the ILO Employment Protection Legislation database (EPLex, 95 countries), the World Bank Business Ready report (B-READY, 101 economies), and the OECD EPL index (72 countries). Together they cover 145 unique countries with complementary scoring methodologies.
Why does the data only go through 2019?
The World Bank B-READY data was released in December 2025 and is the most current. The ILO EPLex covers laws through 2020, and the OECD EPL data runs through 2019. Employment law changes slowly, so these scores remain broadly accurate for understanding country-level differences.
What is the difference between EPR, EPT, and EPC?
EPR (Employment Protection for Regular workers) covers rules for dismissing permanent contract employees. EPT (Employment Protection for Temporary workers) covers fixed-term contracts and agency work. EPC (Employment Protection for Collective dismissals) covers additional requirements when large-scale layoffs occur. The overall EPL is a composite of all three.
Does a high EPL score mean workers are better protected?
A higher EPL score means more regulatory requirements on employers before they can dismiss workers — longer notice periods, higher severance, more procedural steps. Whether this translates to better worker outcomes is debated among economists. More protective rules may also reduce hiring flexibility and affect employment levels differently across countries.
Can I compare any two countries on PlainEmploy?
Yes. PlainEmploy covers 145 unique countries. Each comparison page shows side-by-side scores across all available sources with historical trend data where available.
Is PlainEmploy affiliated with the OECD?
No. PlainEmploy is an independent data portal built by Kiznis.Studio. We present data from the ILO, World Bank, and OECD in a searchable format but are not affiliated with any of these organizations.