Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001020/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Kountoura (The Left)
In Greece, there is a serious issue of discrimination regarding maternity leave for substitute teachers, who are only entitled to 119 days of parental leave[1]. Because of this, many women are forced to return to work early or even resign[2], with multiple negative consequences for their family as well as for their financial and professional situation. The Greek Government’s refusal to equalise maternity leave for this category of workers raises a serious problem, both for the protection of women’s rights and for the country’s compliance with European law.
Taking into account: a) the Commission’s letter of formal notice to Greece for the incorrect transposition of Directive 1999/70/EC[3] into national law, setting a two-month deadline for Greece to eliminate discrimination between workers, b) Article 5(1) of Directive (EU) 2019/1158 on work-life balance, which stipulates that every worker is individually entitled to four months of parental leave[4], c) the deadline for equalising leave for substitute and permanent staff by the end of September 2024[5], d) the fact that substitute teachers are not entitled to leave in the event of threatened miscarriage, and e) the fact that the Greek Government has ignored all of the above:
- 1.What actions does the Commission intend to take to ensure the protection of female workers and the country’s full compliance with European law?
- 2.How does the Commission intend to support Member States in protecting gender equality in the workplace?
Submitted: 10.3.2025
- [1] In contrast to the nine months provided for permanent teachers, see Article 142 of Law 3655/2008, as amended by Article 43 of Law 4997/2022 (https://www.kepea.gr/uplds/file/2022/n4997%202022.pdf) and Article 33 of Law 4808/2021 (https://www.minedu.gov.gr/publications/docs2021/adeies_anaplirotwn_ekpaideutikwn.pdf).
- [2] It is noted that resignation is accompanied by a two-year exclusion from recruitment competitions, https://www.minedu.gov.gr/publications/docs2018/N4589FEK13.pdf.
- [3] The directive prohibits discrimination against workers with fixed-term contracts.
- [4] Member States shall put in place the necessary measures to ensure that each worker is individually entitled to four months of parental leave to be taken before the child reaches a certain age, up to the age of eight, to be determined by the Member State or by collective agreements, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EL/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02019L1158-20190712.
- [5] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/el/inf_24_3228.