Promoting Women’s Employment & Disability Inclusion in the Workplace
Measures to Promote Women’s Employment
Women continue to face discrimination in access to and maintenance of employment, despite numerous laws promoting equality.
Organic Law 3/2007: Effective Equality
Gender equality is a universal legal principle recognized in international human rights instruments and a fundamental principle in the European Union. Equality between women and men must be present in all policies and actions of the Union and its members.
Royal Decree Law 5/2006: Progress and Challenges
Great strides have been made in building gender equality, but much remains to be done. Persistent problems include the low rate of employment and activity of Spanish women, an unemployment rate that exceeds the European Union average, especially for youth, women, and people with disabilities. There is also persistent segmentation between temporary and permanent contracts, and a high rate of temporary employment.
Statute of Workers: Anti-Discrimination
The Statute of Workers nullifies statutory provisions, clauses in collective agreements, individual agreements, or unilateral decisions by employers involving discrimination for reasons of sex, origin, marital status, social or religious status, political beliefs, or union membership. The Government encourages the recruitment of specific population groups, prioritizing equally qualified women to men, promoting stable employment for the unemployed, and converting temporary contracts into permanent ones.
Reconciliation of Work and Family Life
The incorporation of women into the labor market has been a profound social change. This necessitates a new system addressing the emerging relationship and cooperation between women and men, allowing a balanced distribution of responsibilities in the workplace and in private life.
Law 39/1999 aims to reconcile work and personal life and promote equal treatment and opportunities between women and men. The Act introduces legislative changes to encourage the participation of women at work and that of men in household responsibilities.
The intention is to achieve balance in maternity and paternity leave, relaxed nursing, and assumptions on which the employee may be absent for hospitalization or accident. It extends the right to reduced hours or leave for the care of the elderly or sick. The Act provides access to the care of children from birth, giving women the option for the father to enjoy up to 10 weeks of the 16 for maternity leave, also allowing simultaneous enjoyment with the mother. Maternity leave is extended by two weeks for each child in case of multiple births. Significant changes were also made in the regulation of licenses for permanent adoption and pre-adoptive placement, with no distinction between age at the time of granting such permits, provided the child is under 6 years. It also reduces the time granted for leave to address family care for those who cannot fend for themselves and do not perform paid work.
Labor Integration of People with Disabilities
The goal is to integrate people by enhancing their capacities, not through disability. The integration of persons with disabilities in the workplace is a challenge, seeking to grant these people full rights and full integration into the labor market. Measures include 5% of staff employed in public administration being disabled. However, the challenge remains to integrate them into standard companies. Progress is being made, with benefits for companies hiring, but further progress is needed. An inclusive and open society must receive these people as enriching.