Parental Leave 1946

1. Parental Leave 1946 • Social Security Act: • “Mothers who work outside of the home have a right to parental payments. A married woman, however, will receive this payment only if her husband can not provide for the family.”

2. Development of the Parental Leave • 1954 – Women in the public sector receive three months parental leave while keeping their salary • 1975 – Women in the private sector receive unemployment compensationfor three months after giving birth • 1980 – Fathers get the right to use the third month, if the mother so wishes • 1987 – Parental leave extended to 6 months. When the mother has taken one month, the father has the right to compensation instead of the mother “if she so chooses”

3. Development of Parental Leave • 1996 – Fathers employed by a small municipality get the right to two weeks’ leave • 1997 – Fathers in the public sector get the same rights • 1998 – All Icelandic fathers receive the right to two weeks’ leave • 2000 – New law on parental leave including revolutionary changes

4. Parental Leave before 2000 – main criticisms • Leave is too short • Compensation too low (below minimum wage) • No flexibility • Not compatible with gender equality objectives • Different rights for people in public and private sectors

5. Other important contributions • Developments within the EU • Gender Equality Council’s Men’s Group puts forth demands • “Independent Women” • Women’s Party • “Public Opinion”

6. Parental Leave Act 2000 • Leave is extended from six to nine months • Three months are exclusively the mother’s, three are exclusively the fathers’, and three are to be shared by the parents in the manner they choose. The exclusive months may only be transferred in the case of death before the parent has used his / her right • The leave may be taken over the course of 18 months • Those active in the labor market at the time of birth receive compensation of 80% of their averagesalary • There is a minimium compensation (floor), but no maximum (roof)** BREYTING • Those outside the labor market or working less than 25% receive monetary support • Payments come from a special fund which is made up from a share of insurance levies

7. What do we hope to achieve? • Fathers’ increased participation in child-rearing • Improved status of women in the labor market • Reduced gender pay gap • Improved economic status of families with children

8. Men’s use of leave as a proportion of women’s use • 2001 82,4% • 2002 82,5% (preliminary) fást endanlegar tölur núna??? • 2003 80,9% (preliminary)

9. Percentage using less than their exclusive right • Men Women • 2001 4,8% 0,9% • 2002 11,9% 0,8% • 2003 28,2% 1,0%

10. Percentage using more than their exclusive right • Men Women • 2001 12,7% 94,2% • 2002 13,6% 93,2% • 2003 13,3% 90,9%

11. Average number of days used Men Women • 2001 39 186 • 2002 67 187 • 2003 87 182

12. Contiguous or fragmented leave ContiguousFragmented • Men 2001 45,1% 54,9% • Men 2002 22,3% 77,7% • Men 2003 24,5% 75,5% • Women 2001 71,0% 29,0% • Women 2002 64,1% 35,9% • Women 2003 69,9% 40,1%

13. Pay Gap • In 2001 mothers’ wages were 58,2% of fathers’ salaries • In 2002 mothers’ wages were 60,2% of fathers’ wages • In 2003 mothers’ wages were 61,2% of fathers’ wages

14. Opinion Surveys • Gallup survey conducted March 2003: • 85% believe it is positive that men use their right to 3-6 months parental leave. 99% believe it is positive that mothers use the same right. • Women have a more positive outlook on fathers’ use than men do • Younger people are more positive than older ones. • 73.7% of employers are positive

15. Opinion Surveys • Gallup survey conducted September – October 2003 • 80% support the law • 10% believe it is difficult for women to take 3-6 months leave • 20% believe it is difficult for men to take leave for 3 months, 43.7% that it is difficult for them to take leave for 6 months • Employers believe it is much more difficult for a man to take six months’ leave than it is for a woman

17. Thank you!