A new law on equality between men and women should be adopted in January in the National Assembly, with a flagship measure on parental leave reform. The government wants to encourage more fathers to take it. Philippe BARLIER, an executive at Orange, chose to take parental leave to take care of his daughter. He recounts the surprise of his colleagues regarding his choice to take parental leave to raise his child. For Jérôme BALLARIN, President of the Observatory of Parenthood in Business, parental leave for fathers corresponds to a growing aspiration of couples.
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing announces the bill on parental education leave. Any woman with a young child will be able to obtain a parental leave of two years and return to her professional activity at the end of this leave.
The National Assembly passed the two-year unpaid parental leave bill with automatic re-employment guarantee. Explanations on this right which was extended to fathers.
Enthusiastic testimony of a young mother on the two-year parental leave she enjoys. Although having a very interesting job, she does not regret her choice. "These are two wonderful years, and then we start again as before".
Studies show that parental education allowance often encourages the least qualified women to withdraw permanently from the labour market. For Françoise Lelièvre, regional delegation for women’s rights, this allowance is a step forward especially for women who have a low-skilled and physically difficult job. Another setback of this allowance: it would not facilitate career development for those who value their profession. Testimony of a young mother who was laid off after returning from parental leave.
Revaluation of the parental education allowance. This benefit helps couples whose husband or wife stops working to raise a third child. The explanations of Annie SIMON LEMERCIER, Deputy Director Family Allowance Fund.
As part of the bill that will give women, from January 1, 1978, a two-year maternity leave without pay, a report from IBM France, where the father will also be able to request a two-year leave without pay to raise his children and then get his job back. Evelyne Giuge, head of the equal opportunities programme at IBM France, believes that if women are to be equal to men in work, "the man must be equal to the woman in his home for domestic work, but also for the education of children and even young children". She is hoping for a change in mentality on this issue.