In April 2017, as part of the EU Pillar of Social Rights, the European Commission released a legislative package on work-life balance which proposes measures to support working parents and carers with dependent relatives. This package includes a 5-day care leave, the right to request flexible working arrangements and a protection from dismissal when they apply for or exercised the rights referred to in the directive.
Learn more about this legislation proposal and its impact in our new factsheet:
AGE factsheet on Commission proposal legislation on care leaves (2017)
As explained in our press release launched to mark the EU Day of Solidarity between Generations, AGE highly welcomes this initiative as a strong proposal to acknowledge and support informal carers in their commitment to solidarity between generations.
The proposal to allow workers the right to five-day paid care leave will enable workers to face emergency situations when a close relative suddenly needs their support and long-term care needs to be organised for them. But five days will only be enough if there are enough available long-term care facilities to respond to all emerging care needs. This is why the proposal to make European funds available to set up long-term care services is essential to help member states cope with Europe’s demographic ageing. Investment to quality long-term care is needed to support work-life balance and gender equality.