Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) - Iceland (Ratification: 2000)

Article 3. National policy. The Committee notes from the Government’s report under the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), that findings of national studies recognize the linkage between balancing work and family responsibilities, the position of women on the labour market and the gender pay gap. Among the specific findings are that women are more likely than men to work part time or drop out of the labour market to pursue unpaid caregiving jobs. The Committee notes that a draft parliamentary resolution on a family policy up to 2020 is before the parliament (Althingi) for adoption. It also notes that the accompanying draft action plan includes measures intended to address the balance between work and family life and the apportionment of equal responsibilities between both parents for the support of the family, housework and the care of children. The Committee recognizes the importance of the aims of the draft resolution and action plan and asks the Government to report on the status of these instruments and to supply a copy of each when adopted. It also asks the Government to provide information on the steps taken to implement the resolution and action plan and any results achieved.

Article 4. Parental leave. Noting that the maximum payment per month for a new parent has decreased between 2008 and 2014, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any research and measures taken to ensure that the parental leave system facilitates to the extent possible the taking of leave by male and female parents from work to care for their children.

Flexible working-time arrangements. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that one issue that continues to confront working parents is the lack of synchronization of working schedules and hours with day care and school hours. The Government thus hopes that the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on the integration of family and working life under the Ministry of Welfare address his issue. These recommendations call on central and municipal governments to be model employers and to ensure that enterprises and institutions draw up gender equality plans and take specific measures to promote the balance between family and working life. In this regard, the Committee recalls that section 21 of Act No. 10/2008 provides for the employer’s obligation to take measures to enable men and women to reconcile work and family responsibilities, including measures aimed at increasing flexibility in the organization of work and working time. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations of the task force in the public and private sectors. It also asks the Government to provide information on the practical application of section 21 with respect to the types of measures adopted by employers such as flexible working schedules, part-time work, and teleworking arrangements, the usage of such measures, and their impact on the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities, including any relevant statistics disaggregated by sex.

Social security. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the draft resolution for a family policy calls for the establishment of child insurance with payments based on household income, the aim of which is to simplify the benefit system and ensure that children in low-income families receive support. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the changes made to the child benefit system and on the impact any changes have made on promoting the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities, in particular for low-income or single-headed households.

Article 5. Childcare and family services. The Committee notes that a significant issue in the reconciliation between work and family is how to bridge the gap between the end of paternity leave and day care. It notes that the supply of nursery schools has increased but that demand still exceeds the number of schools provided. It also notes that the hours and schedules of nursery schools, childcare facilities and schools are not aligned to most working schedules and hours of work. It further notes that it falls to the parents to bridge these gaps. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken, including the provision of more facilities or services, to assist working parents to bridge these gaps, particularly between the end of paternity leave and day care. It also asks the Government to supply information on measures taken to promote the synchronization of the schedules of nursery, childcare and schools with the schedules of working parents.

Article 6. Information and education. The Committee notes that the abovementioned task force on the integration of family and working life recommended that social partners should hold an educational campaign with an emphasis on the reorientation of managers regarding family values, that courses on balancing work and family should be attended by parliamentarians, employers and workers and that educational and awareness-raising booklets should be published on the integration of work and family. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the implementation of these recommendations and any other information programmes undertaken to improve understanding of policy-makers, employers, workers, and the public on the importance of being able to better balance work and family life for both men and women.

Article 8. Protection against dismissal. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide any relevant judicial or administrative rulings or decisions concerning issues of termination of employment on the ground of family responsibilities.

Article 11. Cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes that representatives of the social partners have been involved in many forums addressing gender equality and the promotion of equal opportunity and treatment for workers with family responsibilities, including the task force on the integration of work and family life. It further notes that some of the recommendations of that task force are aimed at the action to be taken by social partners. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the manner in which the social partners are engaged and cooperate in the promotion of the application of the principle of the Convention.