The 13-point plan that the Ministry of Labor is working on

Alexandros Vassilopoulos

Italy model for increase in female employmentwhich is just at 55% in relation to the equivalent of men, which ranges at 77%edits it Ministry of Labour. The goal set, according to information, by Minister Domna Michailidou is the gradual absorption of at least 400,000 women from the labor market (270,000 registered and 130,000 not), so as to provide incomes that will also result in the demographic expansion of the country, where, with the existing actuarial projections, population is projected to decline from 10,438,000 in 2022 to 7,777,000 in 2070. In addition, Greece has the second lowest female employment rate compared to the European Union. Based on the data, female unemployment in February 2023 stood at 14.2%, compared to 8.4% for men. This is a particularly important percentage of the population that is missing from the labor market, at a time when the country is in need of workers.

Read more: Incentives for mergers and increasing female employment – Two interventions for development

The scenarios that have fallen on the table for increasing female employment

Many scenarios have been put on the table, with the Italian model prevailing, according to which, among other things, incentives will be given that will concern the subsidization of contributions and wages for companies that hire women. The plan will mainly concern the integration into the labor market of women who have never worked before and, secondly, the reintegration of women who have been outside the market and cannot return, because they cannot find either positions commensurate with their qualifications or a satisfactory salary. It is noted that the low employment rate of women in the labor market is highlighted in almost all reports of international organizations as one of the important problems of the economy.

The 13 meters

At the same time, financial support is planned through 13 measures, several of which have already been implemented:

1. The extension of the maternity allowance for 9 months to professionals, self-employed and farmers, which currently gives 7,400 euros in 9 months.
2. Increasing the income thresholds for a middle-income family to receive a subsidy for nurseries and childcare centers.
3. The granting of the right to mothers to transfer up to 7 months of the special maternity protection benefit to the father, regardless of whether he is employed in private law or is a professional or self-employed or a farmer.
4. The further increase from 2025 of the birth allowance, which this year increased by 800 euros and ranges from 2,400-3,500 euros for new mothers, with the aim of strengthening the family and especially the first period after birth, which entails inelastic costs.
5. Further increase of the tax-free allowance for families with children, to address the demographic problem.
6. The extension of paid leave to women undergoing IVF.
7. The increase of paid paternity leave days from 2 to 14.
8. The further increase in leave, which currently lasts 4 months, for both parents. In fact, the two months are covered by the Public Employment Service with the minimum wage.
9. The establishment of a carer’s leave for serious medical reasons (5 days). Parents/caregivers are also entitled to 2 days of paid leave due to force majeure. Carers/parents of children up to 12 years of age are entitled to request flexible working arrangements, such as remote work, part-time work, flexible hours, provided they have been working for at least 6 months with the same employer.
10. The reduction of the gender pay gap from an estimated 10% today to 5% in 2027 and below 3% in 2030.
11. Expansion of the “Neighborhood Nannies” program for the certified care and custody of infants and toddlers up to 2.5 years of age, where there is no density of nurseries.
12. The programs of the Recovery Fund, through which more than 74,000 new jobs are expected to be created for people facing difficulties in accessing the labor market (mothers who have been left out of the market to take care of their child, citizens with disabilities, etc.) .
13. Equality and diversity training program for over 1,500,000 public and private sector employers and employees.

Published in “Afternoon”