Many women still find their jobs under threat when they return from maternity leave – and some face constructive dismissal, says a West Midland lawyer.
Employment law expert Lisa Kemp cites recent House of Commons figures which show that as many as 14 per cent of the 340,000 women who take maternity leave each year find their jobs at risk when they resume working life.
Ms Kemp, an assistant solicitor at Worcestershire law firm mfg Solicitors, claims that many women feel that having children puts them at a disadvantage at work.
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She says too many bosses are still not following the rules ensuring women are not treated differently to their male colleagues just because they have had a baby.
Some women are told they cannot work flexibly while others struggle to gain a promotion or even find themselves constructively dismissed.
Miss Kemp is urging working mums to take professional advice if they believe they have been treated unfairly.
“Over the past 18 months we’ve seen sweeping changes to the country’s employment laws but we continue to see many women’s careers affected as their employers continue to overlook rules surrounding maternity rights.
“Any good employer knows the basic rule, that it is unlawful to treat an employee
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unfavourably because of pregnancy or maternity leave.
“But there is also legislation to ensure women on maternity leave are informed of opportunities for promotion or business restructures.
“It is a problem that is far more common than many people think.
“Aside from the recent House of Commons data, according to website Mumsnet, many women feel if they reduce their working hours they end up on the ‘mummy track’ and will lose out on pay rises and promotions.
“We are currently providing guidance on a variety of cases like this as part of our role in supporting women moving back into the workplace.
“We are advising to ensure they don’t lose out as many are finding their jobs have changed.”