THE RIGHT TO MATERNITY LEAVE UNDER EU LAW

Diplomska naloga obravnava ureditev starševskega dopusta v pravu EU. Starševski dopust ponuja čas odsotnosti z dela za matere in očete, da lahko skrbijo za svoje otroke določeno časovno obdobje. Hkrati pa je eden najpomembnejših ukrepov za lažje usklajevanje dela in družine. S tem je povezano tudi vprašanje zagotavljanja enakih možnosti in enakega obravnavanja žensk in moških tako v poklicnem kot zasebnem življenju. Na ravni EU pravico do starševskega dopusta ureja Direktiva 2010/18/EU o starševskem dopustu, ki je razveljavila Direktivo Sveta 96/34/ES o okvirnem sporazumu o starševskem dopustu in Direktiva 2006/54/ES o uresničevanju načela enakih možnosti ter enakega obravnavanja moških in žensk pri zaposlovanju in poklicnem delu. Zakonodaja EU določa le minimalne standarde glede starševskega dopusta, nato pa je na državah članicah in socialnih partnerjih, da to uredijo v nacionalnih pravnih redih. Zaradi tega prihaja tudi do razlik med državami članicami EU v ureditvi dopusta, poimenovanju, upravičenosti do dopusta in plačilu. V diplomski nalogi je podrobneje predstavljena in analizirana novejša sodba Sodišča EU v zadevi Maistrellis z dne 16. 7. 2015. To je zelo pomembna zadeva, ki prepoveduje diskriminacijo na podlagi spola, in poudarja pomen pravice očeta do starševskega dopusta, ter njegovo vse večjo vlogo pri opravljanju starševske funkcije. V diplomski nalogi ugotavljam, da je Sodišče EU zaradi nezadostne jasnosti pogodbenih določil razvilo pomembno sodno prakso s področja starševskega dopusta. V prihodnosti EU bo v okviru zakonodaje potrebno nadaljnje urejanje starševskega dopusta in z njim povezanih pravic, zlasti razširitev očetovskih pravic. The thesis deals with the regulation of parental leave in EU legislation. Parental leave enables parents to take some time off work in order to take care of their children and is an important measure to facilitate balancing work and family. The topic also covers the issue of ensuring equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in both professional as well as private life. At EU level, the right to parental leave is governed by the Parental leave directive 2010/18/EU, which repealed the Council Directive 96/34/EC concerning the framework agreement on parental leave and Directive 2006/54/EC on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation. The EU legislation sets only minimum standards with regard to parental leave, and leaves the Member States and social partners to incorporate them into their national legislations. This is the reason there are so many differences between EU Member States regarding the organization and naming of, entitlement to, and compensation during parental leave. The thesis presents and analyzes in detail a recent judgement of the Court of Justice of the EU in the Maistrellis case of 16 July 2015. The importance of this case lies in the fact that it emphasizes the father's individual right to parental leave and therefore their increasing involvement in parenting. The thesis concludes that, due to insufficient clarity of certain articles within the contract, the Court of Justice of the EU has maintained an important practice on parental leave. Therefore, the EU will need to further regulate parental leave and attached rights, particularly with the aim of expanding paternal rights.