EU agrees longer parental leave for fathers
Parents will have the right to longer parental leave, under new rules agreed by EU ministers today.
The European Commission said the revised Directive on Parental Leave will give each working parent the right to at least four months leave after the birth or adoption of a child (up from three months now). At least one of the four months cannot be transferred to the other parent - meaning it will be lost if not taken - offering incentives to fathers to take the leave.
The new directive also provides for better protection against discrimination and a smoother return to work. It puts into effect an agreement between European employers and trade union organisations.
"Full equality on the labour market between men and women will only be attained if working fathers take more responsibility in family affairs, such as looking after their children", stated Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
He added: "The directive agreed upon today is a decisive contribution to allowing working parents to better balance family and work. I believe that this will strengthen women's position in employment".
The main changes in the new directive are:
-
Longer leave - each parent will be able to take four months off per child (previously three months). The extra month cannot be transferred from one parent to the other, thereby encouraging fathers to take their leave. In the past many working fathers have transferred their right to leave to the mother.
-
No discrimination - an employee applying for or taking parental leave will be protected from any less favourable treatment for doing so.
-
Temporary changes to work schedules - employees returning from parental leave will have the right to request changes to their working hours for a limited period. In considering such requests, employers will be obliged to balance the needs of the employee as well as the company.
-
Parents of adopted children and children with a disability or long-term illness - governments and employers/unions will be obliged to assess the specific needs of such parents.
-
Work contracts - the new rights will apply to all workers, regardless of their type of contract (e.g. fixed-term, part-time, agency workers); however the possibility of a qualification period of maximum one year is maintained.
All matters regarding the income of workers during parental leave are left for Member States and/or national social partners to determine.
After the political agreement by the Council today, the new directive will be formally adopted in the coming months. Member states will then have two years to transpose the new rights into national law.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
8 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Miguel Micallef
Dec 2nd 2009, 13:06
@Karl Abela
Your wording sure is better. So let's work to get the Asian countries get the same human rights as we are getting, not getting ours down to theirs so that we can compete.
Also, your reasoning about paying 2 persons for 1 job is fundamentally flawed because you are implying/assuming/declaring that 1 persons' job salary includes sick leave and vacation leave but not the extended maternity leave. Maybe 1 persons' job salary should now include also the extended maternity leave by default so in this case it would no longer be the case of 'paying 2 people to do 1 person's job' but 'paying 2 persons for 2 persons job'.
Karl Abela
Dec 2nd 2009, 11:48
Southgate is not totally wrong....he just needed to word it better:
The economy is a viscious circle, nothing in life is free.
The reality is that maternity leave rightfully taken by mothers has to be shouldered by someone else and that someone else in realistic terms is usually your colleague who ends up covering up for her productivity. This translates in very long hours and time deprivated from your own family. Been there, done that.
The only other options are to either temporarily employ another person and pay 2 salaries for 1 job or stop productivity; this is not always possible if you have a contract/tender in place to deliver a serivce/product. This inevitably means higher labour costs = less competitivity = more companies closing down.
Our drawback is that most asian countries do not have such human rights in place and that is why their labour costs is minimal. If only they edged closer to EU standards, it would help us be more competitive.
Everything in life is a circle.
Miguel Micallef
Dec 2nd 2009, 10:25
@C Farrugia.
Being coerced in not spending time with my family so that my employer can make more money just isn't my thing. Yes, I'd rather be unemployed and with my family than gainfully employed with no time for them. If certain business do not afford to operate (including allowing maternity leave) then they can simply shut down and give space for others to do so. It would result in a better place for everyone.
C. Farrugia
Dec 2nd 2009, 09:42
This is not a question of wanting or needing to increase these social beneifts, which all agree too, The question is can the companies afford them. If costs are unbearable for companies then they will close down and the relative parents will have all the parental leave they want. If one looks at the level of unemployemnt to-day one can see the situation. Not florid at all. Economists are practicaly unanimous that even if the economy starts to move forward unemployement levels will remain high. Now ask the opionon of the unemployed on Parental leave!!!!
Paul Gauci
Dec 1st 2009, 22:45
@ Mr Southgate
If so go to India and China.... good luck !!!
Paul Barrett
Dec 1st 2009, 22:13
I actually agree with Miguel Micallef. The whole thing has got out of hand with unions, social services, employees etc running things into the ground.
Do also remember that in the end for any firm to survive these extra costs over productivity, "joe public" ends up paying the bill either through higher tax or higher charges for the end product.
Miguel Micallef
Dec 1st 2009, 21:42
@michael southgate
You should be ashamed of putting economic and financial interests before those of family. No wonder culture and society are going down the drain.
You should be happy hearing such news, but it seems morals and values are so lost today that people are complaining about getting to spend time with their kids!!!!!!
michael southgate
Dec 1st 2009, 21:06
NO WONDER CHINA AND INDIA ARE GOING TO OVER -TAKE THE WEST.
THE EU IS BEING RUN BY A COMMITTEE OF LATENT SOCIAL WORKERS