Parent - Employee
Description:
Decision to begin parental leave often means a risky choice for an employee, whereas employers are reluctant to allow it. In many cases, an employer (despite it is against the law) often suggests young woman signing an official statement that she does not intent to be pregnant. Besides, employers are all too often disinclined to employ young women , for they find a mere possibility of them getting pregnant stressful and sufficient reason not to offer jobs. This means an evident discrimination of women on a labor market. Parental leave, for men and women alike, means occupational stagnation. In the face of dynamic changes on modern labor market, professional qualifications of young parents undergo the process of decasualization while on a leave. What it means is they may not come back to their previous positions or even lose their job shortly after coming back.
The project had been honored by European Year of Equal Opportunities for All logo for its role in promoting equity and diversity.
The project’s goal:
The primary goal of ‘Parent-Employee – professional development on a parental leave’ project is to advance such flexible ways of long distance work as to enable people reconcile professional and private lives.
• Advancing flexible ways of long distance work and adjust them to the needs of employees on parental leaves;
• Testing new solutions which enable employees on leave to telework or undertake other forms of flexible work;
• Developing a comprehensive solutions’ system in response to flexible forms of employment and working rules,
which would at the same time stand in line with inter-sectoral partnership model;
• Promotion of the project and activities undertaken as well as the results;
• International co-operation.
Results:
• Conducting in depth research presenting flexible work solutions in EU
• Creating intersectoral partnership for flexible forms of employment development opportunities, along with representatives of business circles (small, medium, large enterprises), local governments (all levels), public human resources services, NGOs, trade unions, research centers and women support groups.
• Developing hypothetical model of flexible forms of employment and telework. Developing toolkit in order to support it, including:
o Flexible forms of employment template.
o Recommendations for changes in judiciary system to streamline flexible forms of employment.
o Methodology for trainings promoting flexible forms of employment.
o Methodology and toolkit for professional advisory services about flexible forms of employment.
o Methodology for psychological support of people who take care of unemployed/dependent at labor
market
o Guide to flexible forms of employment.
• Conducting process of recruitment of employees remaining on parental leave and their employers.
• Testing of a hypothetical model developed to reach a special agreement between parent and employer enabling former to work while on a parental leave.
• Conducting research on data collected during tests of hypothetical model and developing practical guide for employers and OPNUW (People remaining on a parental leave)
Partners:
National partners:
• Foundation for Local Democracy Development Lower Silesia Centre (project’s leader)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• Regional Development Agency ARLEG
• Association PEGAZ
• Association for Psychoeducation and Therapy EVOLUTIO
• West Poland Employer’s Federation
• Central Mining Institute
• Centre for Training and Economic Advisory Services MEDIATOR
• Independent Autonomous Trade Union ‘Solidarność’ Lower Silesia Region
• Association ‘Lower Silesia Entrepreneurs Union’