Work-Life Balance: Challenges of gender equality in the labor market in the The Republic of North Macedonia VS European Union

Todorova, Biljana and Radulovik, Makedonka (2020) Work-Life Balance: Challenges of gender equality in the labor market in the The Republic of North Macedonia VS European Union. ECLIC EU and comparative Law Issues and Challenges International Scientific Conference (4). pp. 751-770. ISSN 2459-9425

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Abstract

Work-life balance is the term used to describe practices in achieving a balance between the
demands of employees’ family (life) and work lives. Employers today strive to augment job satisfaction
in the workforce for it is conducive to lower employee turnover, higher engagement,
and greater productivity. Besides the feminists, who discuss women’s inequality with men in
the family and the separation of the family responsibilities, the term “work-life balance”, addressing
the aspects of achieving this balance, starts to be more commonly used in employment
policies. The dramatic increase in female labor force participation in the labor market, as a
result of the collapse of the so-called “male breadwinner” model, often results in a “double
burden” for paid women. On the other hand, there is a tendency among employers to increase
workforce satisfaction because it has been shown to reduce employee turnover and produce
higher engagement and increased productivity.
Policies for the harmonization of work and private life are covered by social legislation and
labor legislation. The International Labor Organization defines the work-life balance as one
of the greatest challenges of our time. One of the aims of the European Social Rights Pillar is the Work-life balance Initiative which
addresses the challenges of work-family balance faced by working parents and carers. Therefore,
a directive on the balance between the working and professional life of parents and carers
have recently been adopted in the European Union. It sets several new or higher standards for
absent parents, paternity, and guardianship and enforces a greater use of flexible employment
contracts. Its aim is to increase the inclusion of women in the labor market and to promote
greater use of parental leave by male workers.
Motivated by this, comparative analysis and critical overview is made between the policies
existing in the member states of the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia
which are directly related to the promotion of family-work balance. The purpose of this paper
is to see how the Macedonian labor and the legal system is prepared to respond to the challenge
posed by this Directive and to provide suggestions and guidance that would improve the situation
in the domestic labor market.
Keywords: work-life balance, work, employment, family policies, flexibility, labor law legislation.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Humanities > Other humanities
Divisions: Faculty of Law
Depositing User: Biljana Todorova
Date Deposited: 12 Nov 2020 10:49
Last Modified: 12 Nov 2020 10:49
URI: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/26721

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