Privately political : a comparative study of parental leave schemes

Abstract

This dissertation comparatively studied the parameters of parental leave policies implemented in Sweden, Japan, and Estonia, investigating best practices that could be implemented by Malta, which up until August 2022, did not offer a paid parental leave benefit. This study was contextualised by the implementation of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive (2019) in Member States; including Malta, which had to be achieved by August 2022. The study started by defining work-life balance and parental leave, followed by an analysis of the directive’s standards, limitations, and criticisms. The Maltese context and implementation of the Work-Life Balance Directive in the EU were also discussed. Literature surrounding the parameters/factors taken into consideration in this dissertation were also delved into. These included: country culture, length of leave, political will, and financial aspects. The three aforementioned countries acted as case studies for this comparative research and the focus was on structural and functional aspects of different policies. Results showed that longer periods of leave are not only castigatory on women in terms of their career progression but also make it impossible for uptake if it is not offered as a paid benefit. Findings indicated that lower income families do not afford to make use of this leave and fathers still do not take as much family benefits as mothers.