WUNRN
http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/2015/07/the-pay-gap-in-practice/
UK – Pregnancy & Maternity-Related Discrimination & Disadvantage in Employment
24 July 2015 - Official findings that 54,000 new mothers may be
forced out of work in Britain every year is a shocking reminder of how the
labour market continues to fail women.
In a survey of 3,200 women by the Equality and Human Rights
Commission, eleven per cent reported having been dismissed, made compulsorily
redundant where others in their workplace were not, or treated so poorly they
felt they had to leave their jobs. If replicated across the population as
a whole, this could mean as many as 54,000 women losing their jobs each year.
The research also
found around one in new mothers experienced harassment or negative
comments at work when pregnant or returning from maternity leave.
Conversely it also shows that many employers across a
range of industries say they are firm supporters of female staff during and
after their pregnancies and find it easy to comply with the law.
The motherhood penalty, where mothers’ career progression is
curtailed, is a key cause of the gender pay gap where women as a group earn on
average 19.1 per cent less than men.
“This is where the pay gap starts in practice,” says Belinda
Phipps, Chair of the Fawcett Society. “Not only is it preventing women
achieving their potential, it means short-sighted businesses are missing out on
a wealth of female talent.
“Whilst many employers are clearly trying to do the right thing
and many women feel supported during their pregnancy, too many companies are
getting away with the kind of behaviour that should have died out decades ago.
“The findings suggest that pregnant women and new mums can have
a tough time at work. Women who experience discrimination at this time are less
likely to return to work after the birth, resulting in a huge loss of skills
from the UK workforce.”
The
survey backs up Fawcett research showing
that one in ten women on low pay who return from maternity leave are assigned
to a more junior role and that one in four felt that their opportunities for
promotion were now worse.
The Fawcett Society believes there is lot that can be done with
ease and relatively little cost to tackle maternity and pregnancy
discrimination head on. We call on the government to:
·
Launch
a public information campaign to improve the awareness of employers and
employees about maternity discrimination and employees’ rights
·
Double
the amount of time a woman has to take her claim to an employment tribunal.
When expecting a new baby, three months is not enough time for time at this
pivotal time in women’s lives
·
Scrap
the £1,200 tribunal fees which price women out of justice and ensure that
tribunal awards are honoured
· Invest in advice for pregnant women, new mums and employers