The New Directive on Work-Life Balance: Towards a New Paradigm of Family Care and Equality?

The article examines the new Work-Life Balance Directive of June 2019 which aims to enhance women's participation in employment by increasing the possibilities for men to take up family-related leave. The Directive includes provisions on paternity leave, non-transferability and payment of (part of) parental leave, carers' leave and extended possibilities for parents and carers to request flexible working arrangements. These provisions will have a significant impact in most Member States, obliging them to increase paid reserved periods of child-related leave for both mothers and fathers. The new Directive was one of the initiatives where the European Pillar of Social Rights has proved to be successful up to now, and at the time of writing was one of only two directives (together with the European Accessibility Act) the Union adopted since 2010 in the area of equality which gives food for thought.