Pregnant women and new parents returning to work after having children are to be further protected from unfairly losing their jobs under new proposals set out by the government today.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a consultation proposing that the legal protection against redundancy for pregnant women and new mothers on maternity leave is extended so that it continues for up to six months after they return to work. It will also seek views on affording the same protection to parents returning from adoption leave or shared parental leave.
Research commissioned by BEIS found one in nine women said they had been fired or made redundant when they returned to work after having a child or were treated so badly they felt forced out of their job. The same research estimates 54,000 women a year may lose their jobs due to pregnancy or maternity.
Prime minister Theresa May said: "It’s unacceptable that too many parents still encounter difficulties when returning to work. The proposals are set to provide greater protection for new parents in the workplace and put their minds at ease at this important time."
Business minister Kelly Tolhurst said: "Pregnancy and maternity discrimination is illegal. But some new mothers still find unacceptable attitudes on their return to work, which effectively forces them out of their jobs. That’s why we are looking at ways to further protect new parents by giving them time to re-establish themselves in the workplace and show the value they bring to their employers."
The consultation is available on Gov.uk and will run for ten weeks ending on 5 April 2019.
