Women not only face a still persisting gender pay gap, but expectant and new moms also suffer an increasing amount of unfair treatment at the workplace, a new report in the United Kingdom revealed.
Citizens Advice, a network of more than 300 charities in the UK, warned that there was a 25 percent rise in people looking for workplace advice on maternity and pregnancy issues last year. This suggests that pregnancy discrimination — which is illegal — is still prevalent.
Discrimination In The Workplace
The report, which mentioned at least 22,000 visits in the Citizens Advice website, included issues such as the following:
– getting their work hours reduced
– receiving zero-hour contracts
– receiving pressure to come back to work early after maternity leave
– in several cases, getting forced out of their jobs
One of the thousands of cases involved a woman asking the group for help after her employer reduced her work hours by more than 50 percent after she announced her pregnancy. The woman said her boss explained work was not enough to keep her on her previous hours.
Another case was just as problematic: one woman asked her employer why she did not receive maternity pay, only to be told the company had terminated her contract during her maternity leave.
Discrimination Is Still Prevalent
The astounding evidence is the latest indication that pregnancy discrimination is still prevalent in the UK.
In March this year, research commissioned [PDF] by the government had found that 75 percent of new moms and pregnant women experience work discrimination. At least one in nine women even lose their jobs.
This study, which was carried out by the Department for Business, Innovations and Skills together with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), suggested that pregnancy discrimination has significantly increased in the past 10 years, when 45 percent of women reported they faced such discrimination.
What Should Be Done?
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said new moms and pregnant women should be encouraged at work. The last thing that a pregnant woman needs, she said, is a threat to her job security or income.
A spokesperson for the government has condemned workplace discrimination, saying that it is unlawful and completely unacceptable. He said the government is determined to stand up for workers, adding that they are taking action to tackle pregnancy discrimination.
The EHRC has called for reforms to give women, especially expectant mothers, more protection in the workplace. The group also explored the possibility of an insurance scheme to help employers offer better cover and pay for maternity leave, as is the case in Denmark.
Meanwhile, Guy said Citizens Advice is ready to help women facing pregnancy discrimination.
"Anyone with concerns about pregnancy or maternity discrimination can get free, impartial advice from their local Citizens Advice," added Guy.
Photo : Raúl Hernández González | Flickr
