The European Commission has today sent a formal request to the Czech Republic to implement fully EU rules against gender discrimination in employment.
The request, in the form of a reasoned opinion under EU infringement procedures, comes after the Czech Republic failed to adequately implement all aspects of the Directive 2002/73/EC in its national law.
The Czech Republic has two months to tell the Commission how it will fully comply with the Directive, failing which the Commission may decide to refer the Czech Republic to the EU's Court of Justice.
The Commission began infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic in March 2007. The Czech Republic then solved most of the issues raised by the Commission by the adoption of a new Anti-Discrimination Act, which entered into force in September 2009. However, the Commission considers that the Czech Republic still has not correctly implemented Article 2(7) of the Directive concerning the right of a woman to return to the same or equivalent post after maternity leave.
In particular, Czech law does not comply fully with the Directive because it does not guarantee to a woman on maternity leave the right:
- to benefit from any improvements in working conditions to which she would be entitled during her absence, or
- to return to work on terms and conditions that are no less favourable to her.
Source: European Commission
