According to national charity Citizens Advice in the UK there has been a shocking 25% rise in people reporting pregnancy and maternity discrimination at work.
Between April ‘15 and March ’16 nearly 2,000 people asked for help after experiencing discrimination at work compared to 1,500 in the previous year.
Depressingly, a third of cases were about redundancy or dismissal, while others saw pregnant women and new mums put on zero-hours contracts, pressured to come back early from maternity leave or have working hours cut. In extreme cases some women were even forced out of their jobs.
According to the charity one woman’s hours were cut by half when she informed her employers she was pregnant. Her boss told her there was not enough work available, yet continued to hire new staff. Another woman contract was terminated while she was on maternity leave without being told, and her pay was withheld.
“Pregnant women should be supported at work, not made to fear for their livelihood,” said Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy.
“It is concerning that more and more new and expectant mums are experiencing discrimination issues at work. People with a baby on the way will have a lot on their minds already. The last thing they need is a threat to their income or job security. All employers should respect and uphold the rights of staff who are new parents or expecting a baby.”
It is against the law for bosses to discriminate pregnant women and mums, and to refuse to comply with maternity law. If you feel that you are being discriminated against because of a pregnancy or your decision to become a parent, please contact Citizens Advice for help and advice.
We think this discrimination is utterly disgusting – these laws are in place for a reason and when we think of unscrupulous employers treating women like this, at a time when they most need support, this our blood boils.
