R165 - Workers with Family Responsibilities Recommendation, 1981 (No. 165)

I. Definition, Scope and Means of Implementation

1. 1.
   • (1) This Recommendation applies to men and women workers with responsibilities in relation to their dependent children, where such responsibilities restrict their possibilities of preparing for, entering, participating in or advancing in economic activity.
   • (2) The provision of this Recommendation should also be applied to men and women workers with responsibilities in relation to other members of their immediate family who need their care or support, where such responsibilities restrict their possibilities of preparing for, entering, participating or advancing in economic activity.
   • (3) For the purposes of this Recommendation, the terms dependent child and other member of the immediate family who needs care or support mean persons defined as such in each country by one of the means referred to in Paragraph 3 of this Recommendation.
   • (4) The workers covered by virtue of subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this Paragraph are hereinafter referred to as workers with family responsibilities.
2. 2. This Recommendation applies to all branches of economic activity and all categories of workers.
3. 3. The provisions of this Recommendation may be applied by laws or regulations, collective agreements, works rules, arbitration awards, court decisions or a combination of these methods, or in any other manner consistent with national practice which may be appropriate, account being taken of national conditions.
4. 4. The provisions of this Recommendation may be applied by stages if necessary, account being taken of national conditions: Provided that such measures of implementation as are taken should apply in any case to all the workers covered by Paragraph 1, subparagraph (1).
5. 5. Employers' and workers' organisations should have the right to participate, in a manner appropriate to national conditions and practice, in devising and applying measures designed to give effect to the provisions of this Recommendation.

II. National Policy

1. 6. With a view to creating effective equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women workers, each Member should make it an aim of national policy to enable persons with family responsibilities who are engaged or wish to engage in employment to exercise their right to do so without being subject to discrimination and, to the extent possible, without conflict between their employment and family responsibilities.
2. 7. Within the framework of a national policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women workers, measures should be adopted and applied with a view to preventing direct or indirect discrimination on the basis of marital status or family responsibilities.
3. 8.
   • (1) For the purposes of Paragraphs 6 and 7 above, the term discrimination means discrimination in employment and occupation as defined by Articles 1 and 5 of the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958.
   • (2) During a transitional period special measures aimed at achieving effective equality between men and women workers should not be regarded as discriminatory.
4. 9. With a view to creating effective equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women workers, all measures compatible with national conditions and possibilities should be taken--
   • (a) to enable workers with family responsibilities to exercise their right to vocational training and to free choice of employment;
   • (b) to take account of their needs in terms and conditions of employment and in social security; and
   • (c) to develop or promote child-care, family and other community services, public or private, responding to their needs.
5. 10. The competent authorities and bodies in each country should take appropriate measures to promote information and education which engender broader public understanding of the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women workers and of the problems of workers with family responsibilities, as well as a climate of opinion conducive to overcoming these problems.
6. 11. The competent authorities and bodies in each country should take appropriate measures--
   • (a) to undertake or promote such research as may be necessary into the various aspects of the employment of workers with family responsibilities with a view to providing objective information on which sound policies and measures may be based; and
   • (b) to promote such education as will encourage the sharing of family responsibilities between men and women and enable workers with family responsibilities better to meet their employment and family responsibilities.

III. Training and Employment

1. 12. All measures compatible with national conditions and possibilities should be taken to enable workers with family responsibilities to become and remain integrated in the labour force, as well as to re-enter the labour force after an absence due to those responsibilities.
2. 13. In accordance with national policy and practice, vocational training facilities and, where possible, paid educational leave arrangements to use such facilities should be made available to workers with family responsibilities.
3. 14. Such services as may be necessary to enable workers with family responsibilities to enter or re-enter employment should be available, within the framework of existing services for all workers or, in default thereof, along lines appropriate to national conditions; they should include, free of charge to the workers, vocational guidance, counselling, information and placement services which are staffed by suitably trained personnel and are able to respond adequately to the special needs of workers with family responsibilities.
4. 15. Workers with family responsibilities should enjoy equality of opportunity and treatment with other workers in relation to preparation for employment, access to employment, advancement within employment and employment security.
5. 16. Marital status, family situation or family responsibilities should not, as such, constitute valid reasons for refusal or termination of employment.

IV. Terms and Conditions of Employment

1. 17. All measures compatible with national conditions and possibilities and with the legitimate interests of other workers should be taken to ensure that terms and conditions of employment are such as to enable workers with family responsibilities to reconcile their employment and family responsibilities.
2. 18. Particular attention should be given to general measures for improving working conditions and the quality of working life, including measures aiming at--
   • (a) the progressive reduction of daily hours of work and the reduction of overtime, and
   • (b) more flexible arrangements as regards working schedules, rest periods and holidays, account being taken of the stage of development and the particular needs of the country and of different sectors of activity.
3. 19. Whenever practicable and appropriate, the special needs of workers, including those arising from family responsibilities, should be taken into account in shift-work arrangements and assignments to night work.
4. 20. Family responsibilities and considerations such as the place of employment of the spouse and the possibilities of educating children should be taken into account when transferring workers from one locality to another.
5. 21.
   • (1) With a view to protecting part-time workers, temporary workers and homeworkers, many of whom have family responsibilities, the terms and conditions on which these types of employment are performed should be adequately regulated and supervised.
   • (2) The terms and conditions of employment, including social security coverage, of part-time workers and temporary workers should be, to the extent possible, equivalent to those of full-time and permanent workers respectively; in appropriate cases, their entitlement may be calculated on a pro rata basis. (3) Part-time workers should be given the option to obtain or return to full-time employment when a vacancy exists and when the circumstances which determined assignment to part-time employment no longer exist.
6. 22.
   • (1) Either parent should have the possibility, within a period immediately following maternity leave, of obtaining leave of absence (parental leave), without relinquishing employment and with rights resulting from employment being safeguarded.
   • (2) The length of the period following maternity leave and the duration and conditions of the leave of absence referred to in subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph should be determined in each country by one of the means referred to in Paragraph 3 of this Recommendation.
   • (3) The leave of absence referred to in subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph may be introduced gradually.
7. 23.
   • (1) It should be possible for a worker, man or woman, with family responsibilities in relation to a dependent child to obtain leave of absence in the case of its illness.
   • (2) It should be possible for a worker with family responsibilities to obtain leave of absence in the case of the illness of another member of the worker's immediate family who needs that worker's care or support.
   • (3) The duration and conditions of the leave of absence referred to in subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this Paragraph should be determined in each country by one of the means referred to in Paragraph 3 of this Recommendation.

V. Child-care and Family Services and Facilities

1. 24. With a view to determining the scope and character of the child-care and family services and facilities needed to assist workers with family responsibilities to meet their employment and family responsibilities, the competent authorities should, in co-operation with the public and private organisations concerned, in particular employers' and workers' organisations, and within the scope of their resources for collecting information, take such measures as may be necessary and appropriate--
   • (a) to collect and publish adequate statistics on the number of workers with family responsibilities engaged in or seeking employment and on the number and age of their children and of other dependants requiring care; and
   • (b) to ascertain, through systematic surveys conducted more particularly in local communities, the needs and preferences for child-care and family services and facilities.
2. 25. The competent authorities should, in co-operation with the public and private organisations concerned, take appropriate steps to ensure that child-care and family services and facilities meet the needs and preferences so revealed; to this end they should, taking account of national and local circumstances and possibilities, in particular--
   • (a) encourage and facilitate the establishment, particularly in local communities, of plans for the systematic development of child-care and family services and facilities, and
   • (b) themselves organise or encourage and facilitate the provision of adequate and appropriate child-care and family services and facilities, free of charge or at a reasonable charge in accordance with the workers' ability to pay, developed along flexible lines and meeting the needs of children of different ages, of other dependants requiring care and of workers with family responsibilities.
3. 26.
   • (1) Child-care and family services and facilities of all types should comply with standards laid down and supervised by the competent authorities.
   • (2) Such standards should prescribe in particular the equipment and hygienic and technical requirements of the services and facilities provided and the number and qualifications of the staff.
   • (3) The competent authorities should provide or help to ensure the provision of adequate training at various levels for the personnel needed to staff child-care and family services and facilities.

VI. Social Security

1. 27. Social security benefits, tax relief, or other appropriate measures consistent with national policy should, when necessary, be available to workers with family responsibilities.
2. 28. During the leave of absence referred to in Paragraphs 22 and 23, the workers concerned may, in conformity with national conditions and practice, and by one of the means referred to in Paragraph 3 of this Recommendation, be protected by social security.
3. 29. A worker should not be excluded from social security coverage by reference to the occupational activity of his or her spouse and entitlement to benefits arising from that activity.
4. 30.
   • (1) The family responsibilities of a worker should be an element to be taken into account in determining whether employment offered is suitable in the sense that refusal of the offer may lead to loss or suspension of unemployment benefit.
   • (2) In particular, where the employment offered involves moving to another locality, the considerations to be taken into account should include the place of employment of the spouse and the possibilities of educating children.
5. 31. In applying Paragraphs 27 to 30 of this Recommendation, a Member whose economy is insufficiently developed may take account of the national resources and social security arrangements available.

VII. Help in Exercise of Family Responsibilities

1. 32. The competent authorities and bodies in each country should promote such public and private action as is possible to lighten the burden deriving from the family responsibilities of workers.
2. 33. All measures compatible with national conditions and possibilities should be taken to develop home-help and home-care services which are adequately regulated and supervised and which can provide workers with family responsibilities, as necessary, with qualified assistance at a reasonable charge in accordance with their ability to pay.
3. 34. Since many measures designed to improve the conditions of workers in general can have a favourable impact on those of workers with family responsibilities, the competent authorities and bodies in each country should promote such public and private action as is possible to make the provision of services in the community, such as public transport, supply of water and energy in or near workers' housing and housing with labour-saving layout, responsive to the needs of workers.

VIII. Effect on Existing Recommendations

1. 35. This Recommendation supersedes the Employment (Women with Family Responsibilities) Recommendation, 1965.