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1.  The Committee notes with interest the numerous projects initiated by the Government on the theme of return to and participation in the labour market on the family’s terms, including projects: (1) to devise new models for reconciling work and family life; (2) to forecast the consequences of structural changes in working life for opportunities for men and women to participate equally in work and family life; (3) to devise working time and service provision models in order to ensure that mothers of disabled children have the opportunity to work; (4) to develop new working time arrangements and organization models for reconciling work and family; and (5) to develop models for telework. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information, including copies of project studies and reports, regarding projects and initiatives undertaken to help men and women workers reconcile their work and family responsibilities.

2.  The Committee notes with interest the different types of family leave contemplated by the Employment Contracts Act, including maternity, special maternity, paternity and parental leave, care leave, partial and temporary care leave and the right to be off work for compelling family reasons. It notes that the right to paid maternity leave has been expanded by collective agreement in various sectors, including certain female-dominated sectors such as the textile and clothing industry. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on related developments, including information on any collective agreements expanding the right to paternity and parental leaves. The Committee notes the flexibility of the childcare leave provisions, which entitle parents and guardians living in the same household as the child to take care-leave and permit parents to take leave to care for their own children, adopted children and any other children living in the same household.  In addition, the child’s parents can divide family leaves between them as they see fit, a factor which gives working parents greater flexibility in organizing their work and family life. The Committee also notes with interest that, as of 1 June 1998, the Act includes a provision permitting employees to be away from work when necessary due to some unforeseen reason caused by sickness or accident. This provision permits employees to stay home to care for a family member (which includes a person living in the household in family-like circumstances) as well as for a close relation (a person from an ascending or descending generation).

3.  The Committee notes from the Government’s report that a committee established by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health issued a report on fatherhood and the changing role of fathers in spring 1999. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide a copy of the report as well as information on any measures taken or envisaged to implement the proposals contained in the report, including the extension of the period of parental allowance payment available exclusively to the father under national legislation.

4.  Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that 51 per cent of those entering labour market training in 1998 were women. The data supplied by the Government indicates that most persons completing labour market training in 1998 took part in vocational, continuing and supplementary training. In addition, a large proportion of the training (almost 20 per cent) consisted of advisory training, which is intended to improve skills in job application, career choice and planning and life organization and planning skills more generally. The Government indicates that approximately 10 per cent of vocational guidance clients are mothers aged 28 to 32 years that are attempting to enter the labour market once their children reach school age, but who lack vocational training. Six per cent of vocational guidance clients are women aged 35 to 37 years with higher education. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on any measures taken or contemplated to promote the participation of mothers in such training courses and to improve their ability to enter and remain in the labour market. The Committee notes from the report that employment offices have discretion to grant persons moving voluntarily from full-time to part-time employment a part-time supplement to compensate them for their loss of earnings, if the employer hires an unemployed jobseeker at the same time. The Government indicates that the part-time supplement system is a work-sharing model which was initiated on an experimental basis in 1994. The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on the number of workers availing themselves of the part-time supplement system after returning to work following an absence due to maternity or parental leave or to family responsibilities.

5.  The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information, in accordance with Article 10, paragraph 2 of the Convention, indicating the extent to which the provisions of the Convention have been implemented.