More new mothers are being pushed out of the workplace, with reduction in working hours the biggest source of complaints
The number of women seeking advice on discrimination around maternity and maternity leave issues has increased by almost 60 per cent in just a year, according to new research from Citizens Advice.
The organisation points to the rise of zero-hour contracts and the introduction of employment tribunals fees, which it says are causing businesses to find underhanded ways to limit pregnant women and new mothers.
Just over 3,300 women visited Citizens Advice with discrimination-related issues in the year to June, compared to 2,099 in 2015. The charity revealed a 22 per cent increase in people looking for help online; advice on their website was viewed 22,000 times in the last year.
The most common issue it dealt with, in relation to maternity leave, was being made redundant, followed by a reduction in hours, including being moved to a zero-hours contract and having a role changed upon return to work.
In an ongoing investigation into retailer Sports Direct,it was revealed last month that workers returning from maternity leave were transferred on to zero-hours contracts, excluding them from the organisation’s bonus scheme. Two groups of female former employees are currently taking legal action for a breach of contract.
While employment and sex discrimination legislation offers protection, responsibility for enforcing such employment rights is spread across a wide range of agencies, from HMRC to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, said Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice.
“This confusing landscape means some bad bosses are getting away with treating their employees unfairly,” she said. “There is an opportunity for the government to consider bringing together the expertise of all current labour market enforcement functions into one well-resourced, effective body to investigate bad practice.
“All employers should respect and uphold the rights of staff who are new parents or expecting a baby."
Maternity discrimination is on the rise. A report released by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last month estimated that around 54,000 new mothers are losing their jobs every year in Britain: a number reported to have doubled in the last 10 years.
The report additionally found that one in five new mothers experienced harassment or negative comments from their colleagues or managers when pregnant, or returning from maternity leave, and 7 per cent said they were pressurised to hand in their notice.
“We simply cannot ignore the true scale of the hidden discrimination that working mothers face,” said Caroline Waters, deputy chair of the EHRC. “This is unacceptable in modern Britain, and urgent action is needed to ensure women are able to challenge discrimination and unfairness. This is why we are calling on government to look at the barriers working pregnant women and mothers face in accessing justice.”