The Liberal Democratic Party proposed to introduce a shortened week for workers with children under 18 years of age

Deputies of the Liberal Democratic Party have submitted to the State Duma (DG) a bill providing for a shorter working week for employees raising children under 18 years of age, without reducing wages. Izvestia reviewed the document on July 6.

"Russian women are forced to be torn between work and raising children. When mothers return from work in the evening, they have neither the time nor the energy to spend time with their child. At the same time, being in the office all week, women have to postpone household chores for the weekend. As a result, instead of relaxing, they cook for the whole family, do laundry and ironing, tidy up the house, go grocery shopping and spend time on anything but recovery, which is so necessary given the busy work schedule. As a result, women burn out, which negatively affects their physical and psychological state," Leonid Slutsky said.

He added that the Liberal Democratic Party is calling for parents of minor children to be given additional hours off from work duties by reducing the working week while maintaining wages. It is proposed to supplement the Russian Labor Code with Article 263.2 "Additional guarantees for employees with minor children."

"At the request of an employee with children (including adopted children) under the age of 18, the employer sets such an employee a reduced working time — no more than 39 hours per week, while maintaining wages in the amount paid for normal working hours," the text of the bill says.

An exception is proposed only for employees who have already been assigned a shorter working week by federal law.

In addition, the bill provides additional guarantees for employees raising two or more children under the age of 18. Such employees are invited to provide one additional paid day off once every three months. Payment for such a day should be made in the amount of average earnings.

The document also provides for the possibility to use up to four additional paid days off in a row within the total number of days allowed once a calendar year. If an employee wants to take more than two such days in a row, the schedule for their provision must be agreed with the employer. The procedure for providing additional days off is proposed to be determined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

In an explanatory note, the authors of the bill note that the initiative is aimed at increasing the social protection of workers with family responsibilities, creating conditions for more effective combination of work and parenting, reducing the burden on parents, as well as strengthening the institution of the family and increasing demographic stability.

If the bill is adopted, the new rules will enter into force on March 1, 2027.

Decree as a verdict: why business is afraid of mothers with children under three years old

According to the data hh.ru About 25% of women want to change their employer after maternity leave

On March 24, the State Duma adopted in the second and third readings a law prohibiting the establishment of a probation period for women with children under the age of three. Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin noted that the changes are aimed at additional protection of the labor rights of young mothers returning to professional activity after maternity leave.

Ilya Vasilchuk, a judicial lawyer and an expert on the security of electronic and real estate transactions, explained to Izvestia that the new rules, according to legislators, are aimed at supporting women returning to work after maternity leave, and should reduce the risks of hidden discrimination in employment. He noted that the changes will help reduce stress when going to work, increase job seekers' confidence and expand their employment opportunities.