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1. Article 4 of the Convention. Terms and conditions of employment. The Committee welcomes that the Government has continued to improve and adapt the family leave entitlements available under the legislation. It notes the extension of the paternity leave period by 12 days, under certain conditions; allowing both parents to take partial parental leave simultaneously, both working part-time; the improved childcare leave entitlements for adoptive parents and parents of disabled children or children with a long-term illness; and the extension of the right to temporary childcare leave to parents who do not live in the same household with the child. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on further developments regarding its efforts to address the rights and needs of workers with family responsibilities in their terms and conditions of employment, including the results of any studies or reports undertaken to assess the operation of the existing entitlements. In this context, please also report on the measures taken to address the needs of workers with responsibilities in respect of members of the family other than dependant children, as envisaged in Article 1(2).

2. Social security. The Committee notes that since 1 October 2001, paternity allowance can be paid flexibly according to the family’s need during maternity or parental leave. Measures in effect from 1 January 2007 increase family allowances and create a system whereby employers are compensated for costs incurred due to parental leave funded by a social insurance scheme funded on broad joint responsibility, regardless of whether the employer covers a male or female dominated profession. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the level of allowances for employees taking family leave and the measures taken to compensate employers for costs incurred in this context, including information on any studies or reports that have been undertaken to assess the functioning of these arrangements.

3. Flexible work arrangements. In its previous comments, the Committee noted efforts to promote the development of new working time arrangements and organization models for reconciling work and family, including telework. The Committee requests the Government to provide information concerning measures taken to promote flexible arrangements regarding working time and organization for reconciling work and family responsibilities.