Pregnancy, maternity, and leave related to work-life balance for workers (Directive 92/85, relevant provisions of Directives 2006/54, 2010/18 and 2019/1158)

• Author: Nicole Kerschen
• Pages: 26-39

26

5 Pregnancy, maternity, and leave related to work-life balance for workers

(Directive 92/85, relevant provisions of Directive s 2006/54, 2010/18 and

2019/1158)62

5.1 General (legal) context

5.1.1 Surveys and reports on the practical difficulties linked to work -life balance

In 2012, the Chamber of Employees (CSL) established ‘the Quality of Work Index’ with

the INSIDE research unit (Integrative Research Unit on Social and Individual

Development) of the University of Luxembourg. Each year, a survey is carried out by

INFAS, (the Institut für angewandte Sozialwissenschaft) in Bonn, which measures th e

evaluation by employees of their quality of work and well-being. The study is based on a

representative sample of all workers employed in Luxembourg, including frontier (cross-

border) wo rkers residing in Belgium, France an d Germany. Participants are int erviewed

either by phone or through a questionnaire online. The annual rep ort on the ‘Quality of

Work Index’ presents a general part and a special focus.

In 2018, the ‘Quality of Work Index Luxembourg’ focused on the work-life balance of

workers. It revealed a heterogenous pictu re. 60 % of the people interviewed stated th at

they ne ver or rarely had problems with their work-life balance. When they were asked

about the contributions made by their company, they stated that:

- 36 % of them had the option to work part-time;

- 39 % had an option to take unpaid leave;

- 48 % had the option to return from a part-time position to full-time empl oyment.

However, telework was only possible for 18 % of them.

Regarding working hours, two fifths of the workers c ould shape their daily start time an d

end time in a variable way. Two thirds had the possibility of taking, on short notice, a day

off. However, only 1 in 10 workers could split the weekly hours to less than the regulated

weekly days. One of the main conclusions of the report was that there was a serious need

for companies to expand family-friendly offers. For example, company-run day-care

centres were available only for 9 % of the workers employed in Luxem bourg.

In 2019, the ‘Quality of Work Index Lux embourg’ focused on working time and rest time.

The global index of the quality of work rose from 2018 to 2019. The report showed a trend

of women moving to full-time jobs. In 2014, 56 % of women worked full time, whereas in

2019, the figure was 65 %. Likewise, the working time per week for part-time employees

has also increased. In respect of work-life balance, 57 % of the participants stated th at

they never or rarely had problems (3 % less than in 2018 ) and 35 % of the participants

working full time wanted a reduction in weekly working hours (53 % of women, 32 % of

men). Telework was considered a way to reduce stress.

5.1.2 Other issues

There are no other issues to be reported.

62 See Masselot, A. (2018), Family leave: enforcement of the protection against dismissal and unfavourable

treatment, European network of legal experts in gender equality and non-discrimination, available at:

https://www.equalitylaw.eu/downloads/4808-family-leave-enforcement-of-the-protection-against-

dismissal-and-unfavourable-treatment-pdf-962-kb and McColgan, A. (2015), Measures to address the

challenges of work-life balance in the EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, European

network of legal experts in gender equality and non-discrimination, available at:

https://www.equalitylaw.eu/downloads/3631-reconciliation.