PARENTS WILL BE allowed up to five days unpaid leave to care for their sick children under new legislation being brought to Cabinet today.

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman is bringing a draft of a new Work-Life Balance Bill, which aims to bring the European Union’s work-life balance directive into Irish law.

The directive, which all member states must incorporate, aims to ensure a better work-life balance for parents and carers, as well as encouraging a more equal sharing of parental leave between men and women.

It also seeks to address women’s underrepresentation in the labour market.

As part of the new law, parents or carers of children under 12 will also be able to request flexible working, such as remote working or compressed hours.

Parents will also be given the right to request some flexibility with their place of work.

This is separate to the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s new legislation which gives employees the right to request remote working.

Under the proposed legislation going to Cabinet today, employees will also be able to ask for unpaid leave to care for a sick relative.

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The legislation will also extend entitlement to paid breastfeeding/lactation breaks from the current six months to two years.

The Bill will also introduce paid leave for victims of domestic violence. This will not form part of the draft legislation going to Cabinet today as it is still being worked on, but will be introduced as an amendment during its passage through the Dáil.