Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic spoke about exact state measures, which could influence wider implementation of business culture that protects the family, at the conference „Business Tailored By Family Needs“, organized by Business Info Forum with support of UNICEF in Serbia.

It is necessary to amend laws, firstly the Law on Financial Support to Families with Children, by introducing tax incentives for companies that take care about their employees with families and mandatory parental leave for fathers, said Commissioner. We will also recommend the Ministry of Trade to disallow working on Sundays, said Jankovic.

Speaking about discrimination against parents at the labor market, primarily mothers, Commissioner stressed that employers most often “subtly” discriminate against pregnant women and mothers through lower salaries, appointing to lower-grade job positions and restricting career advancements after the maternity leave.

Main speakers at the conference were also Regina De Dominicis, Director of UNICEF in Serbia, Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Minister without portfolio in charge for demographic and population policies, representatives of socially responsible companies such are Vip Mobile, Mirabank, Generali Insurance, Biosense Institute, Ikea, as well as representatives of organizations that protect rights of parents and children. The most important message from this conference was that it is necessary to work jointly on introducing of policies adapted to family needs in order to improve conditions for economic empowerment of employees, business-private life balance, prevention of migrations of working population, increasing of birth rate and business results.