Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (ELS)

From Wikigender.org

The OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (ELS) helps member countries boost employment and improve social welfare by reforming labour markets, improving the performance of health systems and designing international migration policies that promote economic growth and development. ELS research focuses on four priorities:

Raising employment rates, increasing labour productivity, and improving workers’ skills

Modernising social systems to reflect the needs of an aging population and extending opportunities for all

Achieving high performing health systems

Managing international migration for the best interest of all countries involved

Work on Gender

While all aspects of ELS research touch on gender issues, the directorate has several projects that are specifically about gender. One of its most comprehensive is Babies and Bosses - Reconciling Work and Family Life. This multi-volume book examines tax/benefit policies, parental leave systems, child and out-of-school-hours care support, and workplace practices that help determine parental labour market outcomes and family formation in OECD member countries.

Another important ELS project is the annual Employment Outlook and its accompanying report, Boosting Jobs and Incomes. These publications address many aspects of employment, including the economic benefit of family-friendly labour policies and anti-discrimination practices.