Government’s hollow response to mothers



A government pledge to ensure that pregnant women and new mothers are sufficiently protected from redundancy has been criticised by the TUC as it does not deal with employment tribunal fees.



The government report, published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace, was in response to an August 2016 report by the Women and Equalities Committee of MPs, which called for urgent action to protect new and expectant mothers in the workplace. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) had released information showing that around one in nine mothers reported that they were either dismissed; made compulsorily redundant, where others in their workplace were not; or treated so poorly they felt they had to leave their job.



TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Ministers are still not confronting the elephant in the room — the impact of employment tribunal fees.”



She said bad bosses will continue to get away with discriminating against new mums as long as it costs up to £1,200 to take a pregnancy discrimination claim.



O’Grady also described as “disappointing” the government’s failure to respond to the equalities committee request for workers claiming pregnancy and maternity discrimination to be given extra time to bring their case to an 
employment tribunal.



“My advice to women is to join a union. As the EHRC highlighted pregnant women and new mums are treated better in workplaces that recognise trade unions,” she added.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/585806/pregnancy-maternity-discrimination-wec-report-response-web.pdf

www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmwomeq/90/9002.htm

www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/managing-pregnancy-and-maternity-workplace/pregnancy-and-maternity-discrimination-research-findings