PN launches proposals for better work-life balance, promises flexibility at work

The Nationalist Party has put forward a number of proposals with the aim of achieving a better work-life balance for workers, by ensuring that every employee would have flexibility at work.

The proposals put forward are based on five objectives relating to temporary and spatial flexibility for workers at work, allowing them to work with a hybrid system, giving a tax rebate to employers who invest in ergonomic items and protecting pregnant women in the workplace.

“The element of family is crucial in the politics of the Nationalist Party. Our country has one of the lowest birth rates in the European Union, a trend that will lead to major socio-economic challenges in the coming years,” the party said.

During a press conference on

Wednesday, the Nationalist Party put forward proposals with the intention of addressing this challenge by strengthening the support given to Maltese and Gozitan families when it comes to raising their children.

The conference was being addressed by PN MPs Jason Azzopardi and Claudette Buttigieg as well as Marie Claire Zammit, who is a member within the PN’s Women’s Movement.

The PN’s aim is to make men and women content in their workplace and at the same time ensure that they get the opportunity to enjoy and spend time with their families, raise their children and be present in their lives, the party said.

The party proposed that private sector workers should have the right to claim “temporary flexibility” and be able to choose the starting and finishing time of work through an arrangement with their employer and in accordance with the European Union directive related to worklife balance.

The employer is obliged to consider these requests and must provide a written justification in case these requests are rejected, the party said.

It was also suggested that workers should have the right to request “spatial flexibility”, allowing them to work with a hybrid (mixed) system.

The party explained that this would mean that all employees (not just parents) have the right to request to work from home (or elsewhere) for a number of days a week. This would have to be agreed with their employer and workers would have to ensure that productivity is maintained and that customer needs are met.

Once again, the employer would be obliged to consider these requests and provide a written justification in case any requests are rejected, they said.

Furthermore, the party also promised that a tax rebate would be given to employers to improve ergonomics in support of workers. The tax rebate would be given to employers who invest in ergonomic furniture for both office and home workers. Employers must also ensure that workers are provided with all the equipment necessary for their work, the PN said.

Another proposal put forward by the party was referred to as ‘Keeping in Touch (KIT)’ days. The party explained that this would entail allowing employees to work on ten paid days during maternity, paternity or adoption leave. The party added that employees should also be given the possibility to work up to 20 days during parental paid leave. These are called parent leave in touch days. These days would be optional and must be agreed between the employee and the employer.

The final proposal put forward by the party related to protection for pregnant women in the workplace.

The party proposed that the Protection of Maternity (Employment) Regulation (S.L.452.91) should be amended in order to provide protection to pregnant women employed from the moment they inform their employer of their pregnancy. This would mean that women would no longer be contingent on the provision of the medical certificate, although this still has to be given to the employer.