Workplace discrimination – take our quiz now:
Legal Services Workplace Discrimination Quiz
Pregnancy and Maternity discrimination
‘Around three quarters of working mums currently experience maternity discrimination and 54,000 pregnant women are forced out of their jobs each year.’
A bill to provide new and expecting parents with additional protections in the workplace passed its third reading at the beginning of February. This bill seeks to prevent employers from laying off expectant mothers and new parents, by extending redundancy protections to six months.
In theory, the law already gives women on maternity leave priority over other employees at risk of redundancy – a woman on maternity leave is “entitled to be offered” any suitable alternative vacancy, where one is available, as soon as her job is at risk of redundancy.
However, in practice, this is often not happening.
Check out these downloadable posters here:
And read Christina’s blog here
Attack on EU Laws
Many core workplace protections – like holiday pay, maternity pay and equal pay for women and men – come from the European Union. For decades, EU laws have ensured decent working standards in the UK, shielding workers from exploitation and discrimination.
In its quest to complete Brexit, the government intends to rip these protections out of the UK law books entirely. The bill is currently going through the House of Lords. You may wish to read the full article about the implications on members in your branch here
Shantha David, Head of Legal Services at UNISON was invited to present on the Bill, telling the committee that the Bill “will strip out some very basic employment rights.” Watch Shantha in action here: