title: Re Protection of Women:  E.C. Commission v. France, 25 October 1988.
abstract: The European Court of Justice held that French legislation allowing the continuation in collective agreements and employment contracts or trade usages of certain privileges for women and leaving it to collective bargaining to make changes was in breach of Sex Discrimination Directive 76/207.  It ruled that the privileges, such as reduction in working hours for women aged 59, bringing forward the retirement age, time off for sick children, an extra day's holiday per year for each child, hours off on Mother's Day, and daily breaks for women working on computer equipment or as typists or switchboard operators, were much wider than the privileges relating to pregnancy and maternity authorized in Article 2(3) of the Directive.  It also ruled that such privileges were not justified by the precise objective of Article 2(4) of eliminating de facto inequalities in working life and that changes in the agreements, contracts, and usages should not be left to collective bargaining.
mesh_terms: D019049:Developed Countries; D004467:Economics; D004651:Employment; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D005602:France; D006280:Health Workforce; D009938:Organizations; D011287:Prejudice; D012179:Retirement; D012923:Social Class; D012940:Social Problems; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Developed Countries; Economic Factors; Employment Status; Employment--legal aspects; Europe; European Community; France; Human Resources; Labor Force; Macroeconomic Factors; Maternity Benefits--legal aspects; Mediterranean Countries; Microeconomic Factors; Organizations; Retirement--legal aspects; Sex Discrimination--legal aspects; Social Discrimination; Social Problems; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomic Status; Western Europe