"What are Family Friendly Policies and Family Friendly Working Arrangements?"

   Family-friendly policies are those policies which help workers in combining employment with their family life, caring responsibilities and personal and social life outside the workplace. This definition includes statutory entitlements such as maternity, adoptive, force majeure, parental leave, carer's leave and other non-statutory measures such as childcare and employee assistance schemes.

   There are many reasons why someone might be interested in family-friendly working arrangements. They benefit employees by allowing flexibility in the workplace which allows them to effectively combine work and family responsibilities as well as their personal life. The benefits to the employer are that the policies allow for better retainment and recruitment of valuable employees which can save employers from costs associated with recruitment and training of new staff. The policies should aim to facilitate equality of opportunity for men and women in the workplace.


   The National Framework Committee for the Development of Family Friendly Policies under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness is chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and comprises representatives of :

• IBEC
• ICTU
• The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
• The Department of the Taoiseach
• The Department of Finance
• The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
• The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs
• The Equality Authority