1. Balancing work and family responsibilities in New Zealand Associate Professor Annick Masselot Hornby Rotary Club - 26 November 2014

2. “a strong reputation on gender equality “a strong reputation on gender equality”

3. New Zealand’s proud record in women’s equality FemaleMale Labour force participation 63.7%74.9% Unemployment rate 6.4%5.6% Source: Household Labour Force Survey: March 2014 64% of university graduates are women Total fertility rate: 2.05 in 2012

4. Yet... 35% More than 1/3 of women work part-time. 14.75% The percentage of women directors on the NZX top 100 listed companies.  Segregated employment sectors  The domestic distribution of tasks is still influenced by gender roles  Low female employment rate with children under school age  Maori and Pacific ethnic groups combine high fertility rates with much lower female employment rates

5.  Gender equality  Economic concerns  Demographic issues  Fight against poverty  Individual wellbeing  Real choices for individuals Why should we care about work-life balance?

6. The Leave Provisions The Time Provisions The Care Strategy to grant time off to parents to spend time with children to alter working patterns to provide care whilst the carer is at work maternity leave paternity leave parental leave leave for family reasons (time off for family related reasons) part-time fixed term tele-working child care elderly care Reconciliation: legal concept

7. time children adults care Leave

8. Paid work, unpaid work and personal time

9. Retention of skilled workers Contribution to sustainable workplace managementFlexibility NZ Work-Life Balance is NOT about gender equality or family health NZ unique motivations

10. Leave provisionsTime provisionsCare The (paid) Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 The Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendments Act 2007 Working for Families Package 2004 The (unpaid) Employment Relations (Breaks, Infant Feeding, and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2008 Government funds the cost of children aged 3, 4 and 5 to attend early childhood education for up to 20 h/week. Legal provisions

11. Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 MOTHER in employment for the immediate preceding 12 months 10 days antenatal care 14 weeks government- funded and job-protected paid maternity leave if eligible Up to 52 weeks of job- protected unpaid extended parental leave FATHER /PARTNER in employment for the immediate preceding 12 months 2 weeks unpaid paternity leave if mother is eligible Mother can transfer 14 weeks paid parental leave to father/partner Entitled to share the remaining 52 weeks unpaid parental leave

12. Right to request flexible working hours: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendments Act 2007 The request: -For care -Open to employee in stable employment -restriction on the frequency of the request The employer’s obligation: -to consider the demands seriously -in a timely fashion Flexible Working Arrangements

13. Tax Credits: family tax credit in-work tax credit minimum family tax credit parental tax credit Accommodation supplement Subsidies for pre-school and out-of-school care Working for Families package

14. Where to from here? More v. Less rights Production v. Reproduction? What is the role of the law? Of raising pigs and children in New Zealand…

15. Thank you For further comments: annick.masselot@canterbury.ac.nz