Föräldraledighetens historia
Förslaget om individualiserad föräldraledighet
Labor lawParental insuranceEqualityShared parentalEqual opportunitiesArbetsrättFöräldraförsäkringJämställdhetDelad föräldraledighetLika möjligheter
Rules on parental leave have over the years been the subject of several gender debates. The big question has particularly been whether a further individualization of the days should be established. Sweden is a relatively equal country but differences still exist between men and women in the labor market, such as differences in wages. A fact that is considered encouraging for this is the uneven distribution of parental leave between men and women. It has now been nearly 40 years since the introduction of the first parental insurance but we have still not achieved gender equality in working life which was the main purpose.The main purpose of this essay is to study the motives for the proposal of individualized parental leave, and in addition examine how this change of rules could impact on gender equality in the work place. A historical review is considered necessary to understand the formulation of the rules, and therefore I have created a timeline that extends from the early 1900s until today.The historical review shows that the early defined gender roles, in which the man supports the family and the woman substantially cares for the household and the children, have formed a circle of bad consequences. The role of women has contributed to the employer?s vision of her as more risky labor than a comparable man, because she belongs to the group which in general distributes most parental leave. This vision of women creates several problems not only for the woman who is on maternity leave, but also for those women who never have children and for the men who takes or want to take parental leave. To break this pattern, we need a change in the regulation of parental leave.By assessing the advantages and disadvantages of individualized parental leave, justifies in this essay that the individualization is necessary to overcome employer attitudes, changing parental behavior, gain control of gender roles and in the end achieve gender equality in working life. Once the regulation has achieved the desired effect on gender equality an opportunity can be to re-establish the free distribution of parental leave.