Coface, the European organisation representing families, has published a very harsh analysis of the general approach adopted by the member states on the work life balance directive, during the Employment and Social Policy council, on Thursday 21 June.
In its assessment the organisation obviously welcomes the adoption of a general approach by the member states. It argues that this avoids a repetition of the scenario of the revision of the directive on maternity leave, withdrawn by the European Commission after lingering on in the limbo of the Council for so long (see EUROPE 11348).
Nonetheless, Coface is critical of the content of the agreement, which it argues has “emptied” the European Commission proposal of its substance. It therefore regrets the very restricted definitions of article 3, particularly on carer’s leave, limited to first degree relatives. Coface calls for this leave to be extended from people suffering from serious illnesses to the disabled and elderly.
The organisation is particularly concerned that paternity leave removes any reference to payment on the basis of national sick pay and effectively leaves the member states with much greater room for manoeuvre on this question (see EUROPE 11046). It also regrets the removal of the reference to a minimum duration of 10 days for this leave as proposed by the Commission.
On the question of parental leave, Coface, says that it is “saddened” by the nontransferable period being reduced to two months (as opposed to the four months in the Commission proposal) and the scrapping of remuneration on the basis of national sick pay. Above all, the organisation considers it problematic that a worker needs to work a minimum of one year before being able to claim this leave, which will obviously preclude young parents, atypical workers and those in more precarious kind of employment.
With regard to carer’s leave: there is now nothing left but the formal mention of this leave. The remainder (duration and level of pay) has been removed by the member states.
To consult the analysis in full and the recommendations from Parliament please see: https://bit.ly/2MNqz9a . (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)