Initiative

Reconciliation of work and family e.g. formula of the "Part-time mother"

Summary of the initiative

SEA SpA is a company specialised in electronic opening systems, e.g. automatic doors and gates.

SEA develops a number of initiatives to give concrete answers to issues related to the reconciliation of work and family life. With a 24 hours a day activity, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the company is aware that it is essential to use instruments such as part-time, flexible arrangements and paid leaves for medical check-ups.

Among these initiatives, the place of honour goes to the formula of the "Part-time mother." This tool, created in 1975, recognises to the working mother the right to a part-time contract, with a particular time schedule, until the child is five years old. This is an automatic instrument on demand, which was activated on 2010-2013 by an average of 120 women a year, which is about 7% of the female population of the company.

This initiative has been underpinned by the joint agreement signed on 7 March 2011 by the Ministry of Welfare, trade unions and employer organisations, providing guidance on collective bargaining in the area of work-life balance, encouraging part-time work for women who have children up to the age of three.

An important instrument for work-life balance is the flexible arrangements (for example, flexible working time schedules to start working in the morning from 8.30 to 9.30 and stop working from 16.30 to 17.30). The most critical period for the management of homework time is summer, when there is not the support of the school structure.

SEA has decided to support families creating for the children of its employees from 6 to 16 years, a Summer Camp, open from 8.00 to 18.30 in the two airports of Linate and Malpensa, from the closure of schools in June, until they reopen in September with the presence of qualified staff and sports equipment and two weeks camps by the sea or in the mountains.