[UK] Number of women forced out of jobs by pregnancy and maternity discrimination climbs

In the UK, new research shows that the number of women who lose their jobs for getting pregnant or taking maternity leave has leapt by 37 per cent since 2016, Personnel Today reports.

The campaign groups Pregnant then Screwed and Women in Data found that up to 74,000 women per year are sacked, constructively dismissed or made redundant while pregnant, on maternity leave or within a year of their return.

Their projections are reportedly based on a nationally representative sample of 5,780 parents and reveal that 12.3 per cent of women are potentially pushed out of the workforce.

Almost half (49.5 per cent) of pregnant women, those on maternity leave or those returning from maternity leave said they had a negative experience at work and one in five of these respondents left as a result.

In addition, according to Personnel Today, Pregnant then Screwed found that 35.9 per cent of women felt sidelined or demoted while pregnant, on maternity leave or just after they returned.

Despite this - and new legislation coming into force in 2024 that extended maternity redundancy protections - only 2 per cent raise a tribunal claim in response.

Joeli Brearley - Founder of Pregnant then Screwed - said, ‘’We have long suspected things are getting worse, not better. Our free advice line is ringing off the hook, it has reached a point where we simply cannot cope with demand.

“To find that 74,000 mothers a year are being pushed out of their job for daring to procreate is not surprising, but it is devastating. That’s a woman being pushed out of her job every seven minutes in the UK for doing something that is part of the human existence.’’

Ms Brearley reportedly added that a government commitment in 2016 to gauge the level of pregnancy and maternity discrimination every five years had not been honoured.

“What sort of message does this send to women – that the Government cares so little about this issue that they can’t even be bothered to collect the data,” she asked.

Taisiya Merkulova - project lead from Women In Data - said, “Collectively, we need to close the gender gap and remove the challenges women face to achieve equality of opportunities in the workplace and reduce the burden of the unspoken ‘tax’ on mothers from additional unpaid labour as carers and in the home.”

On February 27, the campaign group reportedly live-streamed a giant shredder today shredding mothers’ CVs in real-time to highlight the “motherhood penalty” on women’s careers. Posters emblazoned with the words, “Mum, you’re fired”, in the style of The Apprentice will also be displayed across the nation.

Source: Personnel Today

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, new research shows that the number of women who lose their jobs for getting pregnant or taking maternity leave has leapt by 37 per cent since 2016, Personnel Today reports.

The campaign groups Pregnant then Screwed and Women in Data found that up to 74,000 women per year are sacked, constructively dismissed or made redundant while pregnant, on maternity leave or within a year of their return.

Their projections are reportedly based on a nationally representative sample of 5,780 parents and reveal that 12.3 per cent of women are potentially pushed out of the workforce.

Almost half (49.5 per cent) of pregnant women, those on maternity leave or those returning from maternity leave said they had a negative experience at work and one in five of these respondents left as a result.

In addition, according to Personnel Today, Pregnant then Screwed found that 35.9 per cent of women felt sidelined or demoted while pregnant, on maternity leave or just after they returned.

Despite this - and new legislation coming into force in 2024 that extended maternity redundancy protections - only 2 per cent raise a tribunal claim in response.

Joeli Brearley - Founder of Pregnant then Screwed - said, ‘’We have long suspected things are getting worse, not better. Our free advice line is ringing off the hook, it has reached a point where we simply cannot cope with demand.

“To find that 74,000 mothers a year are being pushed out of their job for daring to procreate is not surprising, but it is devastating. That’s a woman being pushed out of her job every seven minutes in the UK for doing something that is part of the human existence.’’

Ms Brearley reportedly added that a government commitment in 2016 to gauge the level of pregnancy and maternity discrimination every five years had not been honoured.

“What sort of message does this send to women – that the Government cares so little about this issue that they can’t even be bothered to collect the data,” she asked.

Taisiya Merkulova - project lead from Women In Data - said, “Collectively, we need to close the gender gap and remove the challenges women face to achieve equality of opportunities in the workplace and reduce the burden of the unspoken ‘tax’ on mothers from additional unpaid labour as carers and in the home.”

On February 27, the campaign group reportedly live-streamed a giant shredder today shredding mothers’ CVs in real-time to highlight the “motherhood penalty” on women’s careers. Posters emblazoned with the words, “Mum, you’re fired”, in the style of The Apprentice will also be displayed across the nation.

Source: Personnel Today

(Link and quotes via original reporting)