All workers need paid parental leave to achieve a good work-life balance, it was claimed today.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) said the current provision for 14 weeks unpaid leave discriminated in favour of the better off, who could afford to take time out from work.
"This is patently unfair and will lead to the creation of a two-tier workforce. It also makes the achievement of work-life balance more difficult for the majority of working parents," said Assistant General Secretary, Sally Anne Kinahan.
She was speaking at a ceremony to mark Work Life Balance Day, which is designed to help give workers more time to deal with their families, relatives and personal interests.
Many workers have successfully negotiated with their employer to take up job sharing, career breaks or tele-working.
The Minister of State for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen TD said work-life balance was important both for individual workers and the efficient operation of the labour market.
"The development of work-life balance policies for all workers is essential if we are to successfully increase the rates of overall employment and particularly female participation in the workforce," he said.
The Government is funding a national framework committee on work-life balance which carries out research and helps individual companies.
The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) said tremendous progress has been made over the past few years. "61 per cent of companies in Ireland now offer flexible working arrangements and the new maternity and adoptive leave legislation that comes into force today is one of the most generous leave provisions in all of Europe," said its director of European and social policy Maria Cronin.