MEN have won the same right as working mums to family-friendly jobs under new laws to promote equal pay for women.

Companies with more than 100 staff must meet minimum "gender equality" standards - or be locked out of federal government contracts.

The new Workplace Gender Equality Agency director Helen Conway called for a change to the culture of men using work as an excuse not to help look after children and ageing parents.

"Family and caring responsibilities are not just for women - it's a family and societal issue," she said.

Ms Conway said it was usually women who cut back their hours to care for children or ageing parents but even if men wanted family-friendly hours many employers tended to restrict leave and part-time roles to women.

"Men know that if they work flexibly it will impact on their career," she said.

"You don't get considered for promotion because people think you're not committed."

The federal government will impose "minimum standards" to be negotiated with business over the next two years.

Ms Conway said the standards would cover flexible working hours, equal pay between men and women, ways to deal with pregnant or breastfeeding women, and arrangements for workers caring for children or elderly relatives.

Companies could let workers "buy" extra leave, work longer hours over fewer days or work school hours.

Parents could be given extra unpaid leave during the 12 weeks of school holidays a year.

"One of the most difficult things for parents with school kids is is that they get four weeks a year holidays," Ms Conway said.

"This is a real issue and, if we look at good organisations, they do offer things like purchasing leave."

She called on employers to "get with the program".

"It's not just workers with kids - there are people with elderly parents - and currently the workplace in Australia doesn't make it very easy for people to balance work and family," she said.

"There is no doubt that, if flexible work is available, people will be more productive and less stretched."

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick said the new law would encourage men and women to share domestic duties.

"It's about men wanting to spend more time with their families, because they have been missing from the picture," she said.