The lack of part-time jobs and poverty in old age primarily affects women, but men are also disadvantaged. If fathers want to take parental leave, for example, many would have to contend with prejudice. The AKOÖ criticized this in a broadcast on Friday. Discrimination often starts with the application process, writes AKOÖ President Andreas Stangl. Women are often asked about their family planning, in extreme cases a negative pregnancy test is required by the employer. Stangl sees companies and politicians as having a duty to end discrimination against parents. For him, this includes a fair work culture, the expansion of high-quality childcare facilities and flexible working hours.
In order to find out more about this, the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor is currently conducting a survey with around 7,000 employees aged between 21 and 45 in cooperation with the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. With the help of the survey, solutions are to be developed that counteract the discrimination of parents. “The equal treatment of employees with and without children must not depend on the good will of the employer. It must be recognized and lived as a legal obligation and right of all employees,” Stangl demanded.
Source: Nachrichten
