Current and Previous positions
Since the 1st of January 2005, he has been Full Professor of Labour Law at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna – Department of Legal Studies, where he lectures on Labour Law as part of the Master’s degree program in Law.
From 1st November 2002 to 31st December 2004, he held the position of Associate Professor of Labour Law at the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna – Department of Legal Studies, lecturing on Labour Law and Social Security Law as part of the degree course for Corporate Legal Practitioners at the Ravenna Campus.
From 1st January 2000 to 31st October 2002, he was a Research Fellow in Labour Law at the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna – Department of Legal Studies.
In 1993, he earned a PhD in Labour Law and Industrial Relations at the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna – under the supervision of Prof. Marco Biagi.
Prizes and awards
In 2016, he was appointed by the Italian Association of Labour Law and Social Security (AIDLASS) Executive Committee as the keynote speaker at the AIDLASS Conference on 16–17 June 2016 – University of Naples, Federico II, “Legge e contrattazione collettiva nel Diritto del Lavoro post statutario”. The title of his opening address was “Le relazioni collettive nel nuovo Diritto del Lavoro”.
Visiting academic positions
On the appointment of the AIDLASS Executive Board, he represented Italy at the Mediterranean Congress of Labour Law on 14–15 May 2017 – University of Lisbon (Portugal) – Session 3 – “Flexibility in dismissal during the crisis: the end of employment protection?”
On invitation from the University of Granada (Spain), he took part in the PhD programme in labour law and social security as “Miembro de Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis” for the defence of a PhD thesis entitled “La protección jurídico-social de las personas en situación de dependencia” (31st march 2014)
On 16–19 November 2010, in Granada (Spain), he attended the 1st International Congress – 2nd National Congress on “Social Action and Working Conditions in Public Administrations” – Section: “Employment in Public Administrations – Unresolved Issues Concerning the Collective Rights of Public Sector Employees”. Scientific Report on supplementary collective bargaining in Italian public administrations.
Teaching activities and PhD supervision
Teaching activities in the last 10 years at the Faculty of Law, University of Bologna:
- Labour Law (15 ECTS)
- Public Sector Employment Law (7 ECTS)
- Advanced Labour Law (7 ECTS)
He lectures at the National School of Administration (SNA) and at the School for the Judiciary (Scuola Superiore della Magistratura).
He lectures on labour law and administrative law in postgraduate master’s programmes and schools of specialisation at the Universities of Bologna, La Sapienza, Roma-Tre and Pavia.
He lectures on labour law in the private and public sector for a number of vocational training organisations.
He has been supervisor of 10 PhD Students. Now he is supervising two PhD students on “New technologies and forms of remote working in the transformation processes of public administrations” and on “Employment relationships in the integration of health services between public and private entities”.
National and international collaborations and networks
Since the foundation in 2006 of the “Seminari di Bertinoro - Bologna” academic network, at the Bologna University, Department of Legal Studies, he coordinates the group of national leading labour law academics specialising in the public sector, overseeing the topics and discussion contributions.
Senior expert of the commission established by the Autonomous Province of Trento (appointed by the President under ref. no. 646605 of 18 August 2025) to conduct a scientific study for the revision of Provincial Law 7/1997 (the Provincial Staff Act), with particular reference to its organisational and labour aspects.
In 2016, he participated in the working group set up by the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Public Administration and coordinated by Prof. Bernardo Giorgio Mattarella, for the implementation of Law No. 124 of 7 August 2015 on the reorganisation of public administrations.
In 2002, he served on the working group set up by the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Public Administration to produce a study on “Management within the various institutional models of public administration: legal and contractual aspects”.
In 2000, he served on the working group established by Ministerial Decree of 4 August 2000 at the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Public Administration, coordinated by Professors Franco Carinci and Lorenzo Zoppoli, to carry out the collation and systematic digital reconstruction of the sources governing employment relationships with public administrations.
In 1998–1999, he served on the working group established by Ministerial Decree of 5 January 1998 within the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Public Administration, coordinated by Professors Franco Carinci and Massimo D’Antona, to carry out studies and research aimed at systematically compiling the sources governing employment relationships with public administrations.
Other work experience
In July 2021, he gave a report as an expert to the Labour Committee (Camera dei Deputati) – Resolution No. 7/00635 presented by Prof. Antonio Viscomi MP (Session 491 of 21 April 2021) – Hearing on staff assessment and public value.
Since 2014, he has been a member of the Evaluation Committee of the Metropolitan City of Bologna, having previously served as a member of the Evaluation Committee of the Province of Bologna since 2010.
In June 2009, he gave a report as an expert before the joint Committees on Constitutional Affairs and Labour of the Camera dei Deputati regarding the draft legislative decree implementing Law No. 15 of 4 March 2009 on optimising productivity in the public sector and enhancing the efficiency and transparency of public administrations.
From 2008 to 2015, he was a member and then Chair of the Evaluation Committee of the Municipality of Busto Arsizio (VA).
Between 2006 and 2008, he served as the Rector’s Representative for collective bargaining and trade union relations at the University of Bologna (Rector’s Decree No. 133/3399 of 23 January 2006).
He has been a lawyer since 1996 and is qualified to appear before the higher courts.
He provides legal advice to leading national public institutions and private organisations.
Administrative role and position responsibility
By Director-General’s Decree No. 1448 of 9 October 2025, he was appointed a member of the National Commission for Re-evaluation for the purposes of national scientific qualification for the positions of full and associate professor in competition sector 12/B2 (labour law).
In 2017, he has been appointed as a senior legal expert to carry out activities concerning the operation of the project’s technical unit under the programme agreement between the Emilia-Romagna Region, University of Bologna and the CTSS of the Metropolitan City of Bologna (Sant’Orsola Resolution No. 3465 of 17 November 2017).
By decision No. 115 of 13 January 2016 of the Director of SUMAP of the Bologna Local Health Authority, he was assigned the specific task of “analysing and developing legal models aimed at achieving functional and structural integration between regional health authorities”.
He served as an expert on the Technical Project Group established by Resolution No. 2092/2015 of the Emilia-Romagna Government to implement a pilot project for joint management between the “Nuovo Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense” and the Modena University Hospital.
By Decision No. 1714 of 8 July 2015 of the Romagna Health Authority (AUSL), he was appointed to provide “legal support for the processes of unification and consolidation of administrative and technical functions, as well as health services, resulting from the new organisational structure of the Romagna Health Authority”.
From 2007 to 2010, appointed by the Emilia-Romagna Government (Resolution No. 1461/2007), he served as Chair of the Supervisory Committee for Administrative, Health, Technical and Professional Management in the Region. From 2004 to 2007 (Resolution No. 417/2004), he served as Chair of the Supervisory Committee for Medical and Veterinary Management in the Region.
Scientific organisations/Coordination of academic activities
Since 2024, he is the Director of the Advanced Training Course in Trade Union Relations in Public Administration (ERSPA), at the Department of Legal Studies – Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.
Since 2023, he has been a member of the Committee of Guarantors of the Labour Fund (Comitato dei Garanti del Fondo Lavoro) for Vulnerable Workers of the Curia of Bologna, established by His Eminence Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.
Since 2013, he has been a member of the Academic Board of the PhD programme in Legal Studies at the University of Bologna.
From January 2010 to December 2013, he served as Coordinator of the Academic Board for the PhD programme in Labour Law at the University of Bologna.
From 2006 to 2010, he served as Head of the Master’s Degree Programmes in Law and Legal Studies at the Department of Legal Studies of the University of Bologna, Ravenna campus.
He is a member of the Teaching Steering Committee and a permanent lecturer on the Master’s programme in Labour Law at the University of Bologna, where he is in charge of the teaching module on labour law in the public sector.
Editorial activity
Since 2017, he is the Editor of the leading journal, classified as a class A scientific journal by Anvur, “Il Lavoro nelle Pubbliche Amministrazioni” (Giappichelli, Turin).
He is a member of the editorial board of the journal “Argomenti di Diritto del Lavoro” (Cedam Editore, Padua).
He is a member of the editorial board responsible for the scientific evaluation of the journal “Massimario di giurisprudenza del Lavoro” (Giappichelli, Turin).
He is a member of the editorial board responsible for the scientific evaluation of the series “Studi di diritto del Lavoro”, founded by L. Galantino and S. Hernandez and edited by F. Basenghi and G. Pellacani (Giappichelli, Turin).
He is the author of over 130 publications on labour law, with a particular focus on issues relating to employment in the public sector, industrial relations, managerial governance, management and employers’ powers.
He is the co-author of a handbook on employment in the public sector: A. Boscati, F. Carinci, S. Mainardi “Diritto del lavoro nelle pubbliche amministrazioni”, Torino, Utet, 2025, II Edition.
He is the Editor and Co-Editor of commentaries on public sector employment, industrial relations, managerial governance and public administration (in particular, S. Mainardi, C. Piccardo, E. Periti (edited by), Il governo manageriale delle Università. Dal Direttore amministrativo al Direttore generale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013; F. Carinci-S. Mainardi, La terza riforma del Lavoro pubblico: commentario al d.lgs. 27 ottobre 2009, n. 150, (aggiornato al collegato Lavoro), Milano, Ipsoa, 2011; F. Carinci-S. Mainardi, La dirigenza nelle pubbliche amministrazioni, Milano, Giuffré, 1998; F. Carinci-S. Mainardi-V. Talamo, Codice del Lavoro nelle pubbliche amministrazioni, Torino, Utet, 2008; S. Mainardi (coordinated by), Il rapporto individuale di lavoro: estinzione e garanzia dei diritti, Il Lavoro subordinato, III, in M. Bessone (directed by), Trattato di diritto privato, Torino, Giappichelli, 2007).
Membership of scientific societies
He has been a member of the Italian Association of Labour Law and Social Security (AIDLASS) since 1993.
He served on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of the AIDLASS Association (2012–2015).
Since 2006, he has been a member of the “Bertinoro-Bologna Seminars” Research and Working Group established at the University of Bologna, Department of Legal Studies.
Since 2025, he has been a member of the Expert Committee of the Centre for Law and Health Studies at the University of Pavia
