Women and employment

Abstract: This paper is based on the results of the research project “The Status of Women and Men in the Czech Republic ” from 1998. It was inspired by the need to obtain information on the circumstances of enforcement of EU legislation on equal opportunities in the Czech Republic in connection with the Czech Republic’s appli-cation for EU membership. The project aimed to investigate the public perception and consciousness of equal opportunities. Therefore, it deals with the main issues of the EU directives and recommendations: equal pay, equal treatment as regards ac-cess to employment, promotion and vocational training, legal knowledge concerning employment and so on. Reconciling family and working life is the crucial problem in the Czech Republic, as in other countries. It can be understood as a result of both modernisation and the special national situation that has resulted from the social and economic transition. The paper compares conditions of women’s employment with their professional expectations and satisfaction. It shows the social determination of these, and some stereotypes in understanding men’s and women’s roles. These facts influence women’s position on the labour market in various aspects