The European Commission will refer Ireland, Belgium, and Spain to the European Union Court of Justice for failing to notify national measures completely transposing an EU regulation on parental and carer work-life balance rights.
The commission stated that it will petition the court for financial punishment against the three member nations.
The EU Work-Life Balance Directive, enacted in 2019, is intended to help working parents better reconcile their professional and personal life.
The deadline for transposing the Work-Life Balance Directive requirements into national legislation was August 2022, but the commission stated that Ireland, Belgium, and Spain have yet to communicate their transposition measures.
The Work Life Balance Act, enacted by the Oireachtas in March, established new worker rights such as domestic abuse leave, unpaid leave for medical treatment, and breastfeeding breaks.
The law also provides the ability to seek remote and flexible working, which will be implemented after the Workplace Relations Commission completes a new code of practice.