Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2000, published 89th ILC session (2001)

Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) - Croatia (Ratification: 1991)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s first report. It requests the Government to supply additional information as follows.

1.  Article 3 of the Convention.  The Committee notes the prohibition contained in section 2 of the Labour Law on giving less favourable treatment to a jobseeker or worker on the basis of a number of criteria, including family responsibilities. In addition, the Government sets forth in its National Policy for the Promotion of Equality, adopted in 1996, and its Programme of Action for application of the Beijing Platform, that specific measures must be adopted for the promotion of equality in family life with the object of reconciling the family and occupational responsibilities of both parents. The Committee requests the Government to send information concerning the supplementary measures taken or envisaged in accordance with this national policy in regard to workers with family responsibilities.

2.  Article 5.  The Committee notes with interest that the Pre-school Education Act and the Primary Education Act provide for childcare, particularly for children of working parents. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide copies of these Acts. It also requests the Government to indicate whether there are establishments or community services to assist workers with family responsibilities in the care of older persons.

3.  Article 6.  The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether there are measures in Croatia intended to promote information and education which engender wider public understanding of the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment for workers of both sexes and of the problems of workers with family responsibilities, as well as a climate of opinion conducive to overcoming these problems. Noting that legislation provides that parental leave may be exercised by either parent, except for the obligatory period of maternal leave, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether there are publicity campaigns designed to encourage fathers to use these provisions and to promote in general the concept of sharing family responsibility between men and women.

4.  Article 7.  The Committee notes that, according to the report, the Act regulating the implementation of active labour market measures which include training activities provides, inter alia, that these measures must facilitate the employment of particular groups of jobseekers, including persons with family responsibilities. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would send it a copy of this Act.

5.  Article 11.  The Committee notes from the report that the provisions of the Convention are also applied through collective agreements regulating the exercise of various family leave and maternal leave, to care for a member of the immediate family. It requests the Government to supply copies with its future reports of collective agreements concluded in this sphere.