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Leave

For workers, leave arrangements have a direct impact on quality of life, work-life balance and the overall sustainability of working life. The main leave entitlements of importance to workers are annual leave, maternity leave, parental leave, paternity leave and sick leave, so that the worker can recover from being ill. The European Pillar of Social Rights encourages gender-balanced use of family-related leave and flexible working arrangements. Women and men shall have equal access to special leaves of absence in order to fulfil their caring responsibilities towards both children and ageing parents.

Topic

Recent updates

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Arbetstiden under 2021–2022

This report examines the average weekly working hours across Europe in 2021 and 2022. It covers important developments resulting from legislative reforms in collective bargaining at national or sectoral level...

24 oktober 2023
Publication
Research report
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Working time in 2019–2020

The most relevant changes in working time regulation in Europe in 2019 and 2020 addressed challenges arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most focused on short-time working schemes...

14 oktober 2021
Publication
Research report

Eurofound expert(s)

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Jorge Cabrita

Jorge Cabrita is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. He is responsible for formulating, coordinating and managing European-wide research, and promoting the...

Senior research manager,
Working life research unit
Publications results (14)

Individual employment relations - Q1 2014 (EurWORK topical update)

This article presents some of the key developments and research findings on aspects of individual employment relations in the EU during the first quarter of 2014. The terms and conditions of employment, entitlements and obligations and aspects related to the termination of the employment

18 February 2015
Publication
Research report
Labour law
Leave
Non-standard employment
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Social dialogue, working time arrangements and work–life balance in European companies

Working time policies, although designed within the national and sectoral framework and the boundaries of institutional regulations, are fine-tuned and implemented at the level of each company, taking account of the environment in which the company operates and the workforce it is employing. Hence

08 December 2009
Publication
Research report
Retirement
Social dialogue
Working time
Working conditions
Work-life balance
Industrial relations
Leave
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Parental leave in European companies

The Foundation’s Company Survey on Working Time and Work–Life Balance 2004–2005 set out to map the use of a variety of working time arrangements in companies, to assess the reasons for their introduction and their impact. This analytical report addresses the issue of parental leave as well as other

17 June 2008
Publication
Research report
Working time
Working conditions
Gender equality
Leave
Working conditions and sustainable work

EIRObserver (Issue 6/04)

The comparative supplement in this issue of EIRObserver looks at the current position on family-related leave in 19 EU Member States and Norway, focusing on regulation by collective bargaining. The supplement also examines the views of trade unions and employers on this issue and assesses the impact

30 November 2004
Publication
Other
Gender equality
Industrial relations
Leave
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Online resources results (102)

Finland: Latest working life developments - Q3 2016

A trial of a new basic income, budgetary proposals to reduce unemployment, and conflicts between Akava and other trade union confederations are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Finland in the third quarter of 2016.

27 oktober 2016
Article
Retirement
Leave
Social partners
Social protection
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Estonia: Latest working life developments - Q3 2016

A new three-year sectoral collective agreement for bus drivers, concerns about transposition of the Enforcement Directive, and social policy reforms are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Estonia in the third quarter

24 oktober 2016
Article
Leave
Retirement
Posted workers
Collective bargaining
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Luxembourg: Latest working life developments – Q3 2016

Disputes over sector-level collective bargaining, changes to the bill on parental leave and working time legislation are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Luxembourg in the third quarter of 2016.

20 oktober 2016
Article
Working time
Leave
Skills and training
Industrial action
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Social policies
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Sweden: Work-related diseases more often caused by social factors

Work-related diseases due to organisational and social factors are increasing in Sweden, according to the Swedish Environment Authority. Since 2011, diseases due to these factors have increased by 77%. This, plus a recent spike in sick leave, has sparked a debate on how best to combat ill-health in

20 september 2016
Article
Health and well-being at work
Labour and social regulation
Leave
Psychosocial risks
Living conditions and quality of life
Work-life balance
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

Czech Republic: Paternity leave set to be introduced in early 2017

Proposed paternity leave legislation is currently under debate in Parliament and is likely to be implemented in the Czech Republic in the spring of 2017.

9 september 2016
Article
Leave
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Estonia: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Changes to labour market laws to make it easier to hire workers (especially ICT specialists) and a focus on ways to reduce the gender pay gap are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Estonia in the second quarter of

9 september 2016
Article
Gender equality
Migration and mobility
Leave
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Portugal: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

The re-introduction of four holidays and the 35-hour week in the public sector; as well as job precariousness and unemployment, are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Portugal in the first quarter of 2016.

5 augusti 2016
Article
Leave
Pay and income
Working time
Youth
Collective bargaining
Industrial action
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Romania: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Opposition to new measures to reduce public sector wage inequality, a fresh start for the Social and Economic Council, and new measures to reconcile family and working life are the main topics of interest of this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in Romanian working

3 augusti 2016
Article
Industrial action
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Leave
Pay and income
Living conditions and quality of life
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Luxembourg: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Changes in working time flexibility and demands for the revaluation of careers and qualifications in the health and social care sectors are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Luxembourg in the second quarter of 2016.

3 augusti 2016
Article
Leave
Sustainable work
Working time
Industrial action
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

United Kingdom: Worrying levels of maternity-related discrimination

The results of a large-scale survey show a high prevalence of pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination experienced by mothers in the workplace.

20 maj 2016
Article
Gender equality
Leave
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Blogs results (1)
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Progress in paternity and parental leave for fathers – Are baby steps enough?

Few events challenge the equilibrium between work and life like the arrival of a child. As gender roles continue to change in Europe, supporting the uptake of paternity and parental leave among fathers is fundamental, not just to close the ‘caring gap’ between men and women, but also to provide the

11 oktober 2018
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Work-life balance
Gender equality
Leave

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