1 . What are work life balance policies?
Work Life Balance policies can be taken to mean those policies which assist
workers in combining employment with their family life, caring responsibilities
and personal life outside the workplace, while meeting the employers needs. This
broad definition includes statutory entitlements like maternity, adoptive, force
majeure and parental leave, the carer's leave legislation and other measures
such as childcare and employee assistance schemes.
2 . What are work life balance working arrangements?
Work Life Balance working arrangements mean those working patterns and forms
of work organisation, outside of statutory entitlements, which are designed to
assist workers to combine work and family life, caring responsibilities and
personal life outside the workplace. These include job sharing, job splitting,
flexitime, term-time working, work sharing, part-time work, annualised hours and
e-working amongst other work patterns.
3 . How can work life balance working arrangements help promote equality?
The contribution of Work Life Balance work arrangements to equality are based
on the recognition that meaningful participation in economic, social and
cultural life is determined in a significant way through access to the world of
work. Work Life Balance work arrangements ensure: Greater potential for equality
of opportunity between men and women by reducing the interruption to careers,
most often women's, due to caring responsibilities. Improved possibility of a
more equal sharing of caring responsibilities between women and men.
Accommodation in the workplace of those unable to work standard times or shifts.
4 . How can I get more information on work life balance work arrangements?
Further information is available from the any of the following organisations: Equality Authority Clonmel Street Dublin 2 Ireland Lo-Call 1890 245545 Telephone 353 1 417 3333 Facsimile: 353 1 417 3377 E-mail: info@equality.ie website: www.equality.ie IBEC Confederation House 84-86 Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2 Tel: 353 1 660 1011 Fax: 353 1 6601717 website: www.ibec.ie email: info@ibec.ie ICTU 31 Parnell Square Dublin 1 Tel: 353 1 889 7777 Fax: 353 1 887 2012 E-mail: congress@ictu.ie website: www.ictu.ie5 . Are work life balance arrangements available to men as well as women?
Absolutely. Women and men can have the same demands on their time, in the workplace and in their family and personal life. The importance of facilitating equality of opportunity for men and women in the workplace underscores the desirability of developing policies that can assist both parents in reconciling work and family life.Can I be discriminated against if I apply for or take family friendly / work life balance arrangements? The Employment Equality Act 1998 as amended by the Equality Act 2004 prohibits discrimination in employment on nine specified grounds. Three of the grounds are particularly relevant to work life balance measures: Gender Marital status Family status (which is defined as parent or resident primary carer of a child or a person with a disability) Employers cannot treat less favourably employees because of their gender, marital status or family status. Employers have to justify practices or requirements which disproportionately affect a substantial number of people belonging to a protected group. Discrimination against part-time workers may constitute discrimination against women. Employees cannot be asked discriminatory questions about their child-minding arrangements at interviews. Employees cannot be dismissed or denied access to promotion simply because they are pregnant. If someone is denied promotion just because they are a job-sharer this may constitute discrimination on the family status ground or the gender ground. Failure to consider access to work life balance arrangements could constitute discrimination on the gender or family status ground.
