Working group for the implementation of the Work-life Balance Directive (familyleaves)

Goals and results

The task of the working group is to:
- prepare the amendments necessary for the implementation of the Work-life Balance Directive to the sectoral legislation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment,
- examine the entries in the Government Programme referred to below, and
- make any changes to the Employment Contracts Act in the context of the family leave reform.

Summary

The tripartite working group will prepare by 31 December 2021 the amendments necessary for the implementation of the Work-life Balance Directive to the legislation (DL 2 August 2022) of the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, examine certain entries in the Government Programme relating to the Directive and prepare any amendments to the Employment Contracts Act in the context of the family leave reform, see also STM020:00/2020.

Starting points

Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the balancing of the working and private life of parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU shall be transposed into national law in the Member States by 2 August 2022 (Article 20).

According to the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government:
- the prospects for increasing the flexibility of working time will be examined with a view to balancing the harmonisation of work and family and prolonging working careers. The aim in particular is to improve part-time working opportunities for parents of small children and for those who are caring for elderly relatives.
- discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy will be prevented. Legislation will be clarified to ensure that pregnancy and use of family leave may not affect the continuation of temporary employment.
- the prospects for improving the job security of employees returning from family leave will be studied, with the findings applied in necessary legislative and other measures.

Additional information

• Direktiivi (EU) 2019/1158 (EUR-Lex)