CMNT_TITLE

Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) - Finland (RATIFICATION: 1983)

Other comments on C156

Observation

Direct Request

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The Committee notes the observations by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals in Finland (AKAVA), and the Commission for Local Authority Employers (KT), attached to the Government’s report.

Other members of the family. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s indication that section 7a of the Employment Contract Act, which entered into force on 1 April 2011, enables a person to be absent from work in order to take care of a family member or other close relative in ascending and descending generations. It also notes that the Government’s report on gender equality 2011 refers to the importance of extending family leave entitlements for taking care of family members other than dependent children. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the practical application of section 7a of the Employment Contract Act, including statistical information on the number of men and women who have requested leave and who have been granted such leave in order to take care of members of the family other than dependent children.

Social Security. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, since March 2011, the minimum amount of parental allowance was raised from €22.04 to €22.13 per day, and child home care allowance increased from €314.28 to €315.54 per month; while employers are entitled to the daily allowances for the period they pay salary, in 2009 for mothers the daily allowance was paid to the employer in 11.5 per cent of days and for fathers in 9.3 per cent of days; and a system was created in 2007 whereby employers are compensated for costs incurred due to parental leave funded by a social insurance scheme, in 2010 €61.6 million was paid as compensation for annual leave earned during family leave. In this connection, the Committee notes the observations by the KT that the compensation system for costs incurred by employers due to parenthood should be improved. In its reply, the Government refers to the possibility of reform proposed by the parental leave working group with a view to increasing society’s share of funding, and distributing the costs more evenly between employers of male- and female-dominated industries. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to compensate employers for costs incurred, as well as any proposals made during the parental leave working group in this regard.

Flexible work arrangements. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that there are a number of flexible working hour arrangements, including part-time work, flexitime, telecommuting, part-time pensions, the working hour bank system and the distribution of work. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the impact of these arrangements on the possibility for workers to reconcile work and family responsibilities, including the statistical information on the number of men and women using these arrangements.