Women and Employment

Abstract

Presents results of the 1998 research project 'The Status of Women & Men in the Czech Republic' (N = 1,000 respondents ages 20-60), inspired by the need to obtain information on the circumstances of enforcement of European Union (EU) legislation on equal opportunities in the Czech Republic in connection with its application for EU membership. The public perception & consciousness of equal opportunities are investigated in terms of pay, access to employment, promotion, & vocational training, as well as legal knowledge concerning employment. Reconciling family & working life is the crucial problem in the Czech Republic, as in other countries. It can be understood as a result of both modernization & the special national situation that has resulted from the social & economic transition. Comparison of conditions of women's employment with their professional expectations & satisfaction reveals the social determination of these, as well as some stereotypes in understanding men's & women's roles that influence women's position in the labor market.