site.btaParliamentary Social Policy Committee Chair to Propose Allowing Parents of Children 8-12 Flexible Working Hours in Summer

Denitsa Sacheva, who chairs the Parliamentary Labour and Social Policy Committee, said on Facebook Wednesday that she will propose legal amendments to give parents of children aged 8 to 12 the right to flexible working hours during the summer vacation.  

This way, parents of children between 8 and 12 years old will also have the right to submit a written request to their employer to temporarily change the length and distribution of their working hours, or to switch to remote work, as well as other changes to their employment terms that facilitate balancing work and family responsibilities, Sacheva explained in her reasoning. She added that her proposal aligns with measures to improve the demographic situation.

Currently, the Labour Code allows a parent (or adoptive parent) of a child up to 8 years old to submit a written request to their employer to temporarily modify their working hours and schedule.

Sacheva clarified that she will submit the amendments in the first days of September.

The Committee Chair also said she shared her idea first on Facebook to hear people’s opinions. She asked her followers if they support it and what additions or changes they would suggest.

“I, like many mothers, spend the vacation taking care of my child. I have the invaluable help of my mother, but even so, I know how difficult it is. Especially since many grandparents also work and cannot always help. Many parents write to both me and the Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev that during the summer they face huge difficulties caring for their children,” Sacheva explained further in her post.