February 19, 2019

Gendered label of maternity leave may contribute to parental earnings gap

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, Legal news, Workplace

It’s been argued that one of the main drivers behind the gender pay gap and inequality in the workplace is when it comes to having children. Now new research from Money Guru has revealed that 70 percent of UK employers believe that women should declare their pregnancy during the recruitment process with one in seven (14 percent) of employers admitting to being reluctant to hire someone who may go on to have children. Studies show that 39 percent of young mothers have been illegally asked in job interviews about how being a mother would affect their ability to work.

What’s more 24 percent of employers believe women should work for them for at least a year before having children. Registered Psychologist Rachel Hard commented that “The title ‘maternity leave’ gives a gendered role or expectation of who can/should take leave to care for a new baby. The traditional male and female roles are often still in play despite social sanctions to establish equality.”

However, not all employers are guilty of this kind of discrimination as Money Guru have compiled a list of the companies who are doing right by their employees who want to start a family.

Top 10 Companies for Maternity Leave