Pregnant women get "raw deal" at work, says EOC

Monday, 6 September 2004 12:00 AM

A report by the Equal Opportunities Commission has revealed that pregnant women at work still face widespread discrimination including abuse, demotion and in some cases being fired.

The "Tip of the Iceberg" report also finds that many employers are unaware of their responsibilities towards pregnant staff or openly flout the law.

The commission warns that unless the Government tackles this behaviour, it will have "disastrous" effects on women's health and Britain's economy - especially for pensions.

And a study by the shopworkers' union Usdaw, also published today to coincide with the start of National Pregnancy Week, reveals that many women felt their employers treated them worse after finding out they were pregnant.

EOC chair Julie Mellor said that every year around a thousand women took legal action claiming they were sacked because they were pregnant, and others faced pay cuts, demotion, hostile treatment or being made to work in an unsafe environment.

The impact on these women's lives and on the health of their baby could be "disastrous", she warned.

"While the great majority of employers who know the law think it is fair, there are huge holes in many people's understanding. Some employers knowingly flout the law but many simply don't know what their responsibilities are or what help with costs is already available from the Government," she said.

Ms Mellor said women made up nearly half the workforce and were "major" contributors to the success of the economy.

"We cannot afford to lose their skills and experience. At a time when the birth rate is falling, we also rely on the next generation for our prosperity and welfare, including our pensions."

The commission recommends that all pregnant women - and their employers - be given a written statement of their rights and responsibilities. It also calls for the Government to clarify what it calls the "complicated jigsaw" of existing law and create a statutory code of practice.

The commission's call was welcomed by business groups such as the Forum of Private Businesses, which said present regulations were "a barrier to women's progress in the workplace."

Speaking to politics.co.uk, an FPB spokesperson stressed that business was not against maternity leave, but said compliance costs had "far more of an impact" on small businesses than it did on larger firms, making them "reluctant to take on women of child bearing age".

The Federation of Small Businesses said administering maternity leave was a problem for small businesses, especially as women could leave open the date of their return, making it hard for employers to plan ahead.

The Usdaw survey of 1,200 women working in retail found that 62 per cent of the women said their employer had treated them worse after finding out they were pregnant.

Many employers failed to allow workers paid time off for ante-natal appointments or conduct a risk assessment, which by law they must do. Workers often found that employers did nothing or were unhelpful when told about problems related to pregnancies.

John Hannett, Usdaw general secretary, said: "Many women told us they felt undervalued, ignored, humiliated, even made to feel guilty about being pregnant. Women who asked for help were told to stop complaining, repeated requests for maternity uniforms fell on deaf ears and women were excluded from decisions on the basis that they were pregnant."

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