Work-Life Balance (Directive)

The EU Commission wants to increase women’s participation in employment. With this aim, work life balance is to be improved and incentives created for men to claim parental leave. In cep’s view, the proposed Directive can at best make a small contribution to achieving the EU Commission’s objective.

cepPolicyBrief

The assertion of rights to paternity, parental and carers’ leave gives rise to losses in efficiency for companies. The rules on flexible rights to parental leave and flexible working arrangements should be more precisely worded to ensure that the intervention in the freedom to conduct a business does not go beyond that which is necessary and reasonable.