Increased Family Rights In Malta With New Work-Life Balance Directive
More parental leave, flexible working hours, and dedicated time off for carers of relatives who need special care. These are just some of the new directives to be implemented across all EU member states this year.
As from August 2nd, families and carers across the EU are set to benefit from better work-life balance measures that were established to combat widespread challenges in our society like gender inequality and disproportionate responsibility on mothers when it comes to caring for young children.
What is changing?
We will soon see our laws updated as was announced by the Maltese Government last week. Changes will include two months of paid leave for both parents, as well as another two months of transferable leave up until the child turns eight. This can be taken flexibly rather than all together to allow parents to juggle between work and family life at different stages. It is facilitated by the right for parents to ask for flexible working arrangements.
A breakthrough for Malta is the 10 day paid leave being granted to fathers upon the birth of their children. This is a big improvement from the current single day allowance and continues to push toward involving second parents in the children’s upbringing in a sustainable way.
The Directive is also child-oriented, meaning it does not discriminate against non-conventional family arrangements and is inclusive of same-sex couples, disregards marital status, and includes adoptions.
Workers with relatives who require care or special attention, will also be able to take five days of leave to deliver that assistance, irrespective of whether or not they live under the same roof.
Why is this being done?
All these rights are geared towards improving working families’ quality of life, and giving mothers the opportunity to remain part of the workforce. The goal is to create a foundation of support that allows families and organisations to function cohesively without putting excessive strain on one or the other.
The agreement will pave the way for a new core minimum of rights for working families and carers across the European Union. Minimum rights are not targets but should be seen as a toolkit with which to tackle the demands faced by working families. Governments can use the directive to help improve the lives of this segment of society.
Who is working for change?
This Work-Life Balance Directive, whose lead negotiator was David Casa, was concluded in the European Parliament in 2019.
The PN campaigned to have the legal notice include more than just the bare minimum standards enshrined in the law but until now, this is what is being implemented. Unnecessary restrictions on how leave can be taken and costs shifted onto the SMEs means there is room for improvement and the legal notice was met with criticism not just from the Opposition but from social partners and the employers’ lobby – organisations which the Government should have consulted with prior to the legal notice.
In a recent press conference, Casa said the Directive should not be a missed opportunity and called on the Government to go back to the drawing board. He urged it to take heed of the constructive criticism presented and bring it to a parliamentary debate.
“The Work-Life Balance Directive is a giant step forward in terms of family rights. We’re now in the final steps that can see positive changes in our families and workplaces. So we need to see a better law commensurate with the hard work fathers, mothers, and carers do in their everyday lives: a law that is more considerate, more flexible, and that delivers right in the true spirit of the Work-Life Balance Directive.”
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