Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) - Sweden (Ratification: 1982)

Article 4(b) of the Convention. Social security. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to continue to provide information on future developments in social security programmes and entitlements that improve workers’ ability to balance work and family responsibilities, as well as on the practical application of the measures, including the gender equality bonus. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that the “gender equality bonus” will be discontinued on 1 January 2017, as it did not have the expected results. The Committee further notes that, according to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, 50.2 per cent of the beneficiaries of the “gender equality bonus” were women in 2014. Moreover, the Committee notes that the Government indicates that the number of reserved days for each parent of the parental benefit was extended from 60 to 90 and that a new basic level for the parental benefit was established on 1 January 2016. According to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, 75 per cent of the beneficiaries of the parental benefit were women in 2014. The Committee notes, in this regard, that men’s proportion of days of parental benefit has increased (men took 12 per cent of the total days in 2000 and by 2014 this amounted to just over 25 per cent), partially depending on the number of days taken by women, and that women received lower average compensation per day compared to men. Finally, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that several social security benefits have been increased, including the housing allowance for families with children and the maintenance allowance. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on future developments in social security programmes and entitlements that improve workers’ ability to balance work and family responsibilities, including statistical information on the practical application of such measures. The Committee further requests the Government to indicate the reason why the “gender equality bonus” did not have the expected results and was discontinued. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate in which manner housing allowance for families with children and maintenance allowance benefit workers with family responsibilities.

Article 5(a). Childcare facilities and services. The Committee notes the Government’s indication concerning the discontinuance on 1 February 2016 of the granting of the childcare allowance by municipalities for parents of children between 1 and 3 years old who chose to care for their children on their own instead of making use of the municipal childcare. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the reason why the granting of childcare allowance was discontinued.

Article 6. Information and education. The Government indicates that the Swedish Social Insurance Agency is responsible for informing those concerned about the social insurance and other benefits and remuneration. The Committee further notes that, according to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s regulation for the year 2016, the agency has, among its objectives, to promote an equal take-up between men and women of parental benefit and temporary parental benefit.

Article 11. Cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee notes that, according to the report of the European Parliament entitled: “The Policy on Gender Equality in Sweden” of 2015, “extra parental wages” paid by the employer according to collective agreements are especially important to large groups of salaried employees, owing to the upper earning “ceiling” in the social security benefit scheme. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether these measures adopted in the framework of collective agreements apply to both men and women workers with family responsibilities, and to provide information on the number of men and women that have received extra parental wages.

Practical application In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the nature and outcome of the complaints submitted to the Equality Ombudsman, including with regard to unfair treatment or dismissal on the ground of family responsibilities. It also requested the Government to provide information on any cases brought before the Labour Court, including those by the Equality Ombudsman, as well as information on the number, nature and outcome of such cases. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that nine judgments in relation to the prohibition of discrimination against workers with family responsibilities were announced and that the Equality Ombudsman was a party in those cases. The Government further indicates that the Labour Court has not decided any case regarding the principles set out in the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the nature and outcome of the complaints submitted to the Equality Ombudsman, including with regard to unfair treatment or dismissal on the grounds of family responsibilities. It also requests the Government to continue to provide information on any cases brought before the Labour Court, including those by the Equality Ombudsman, as well as information on the number, nature and outcome of such cases.