Three-quarters of Brit bosses would not take on a new recruit if they knew they would fall pregnant within six months of starting work, new research has indicated.
A survey of 1,100 bosses, conducted by Employment Law Advisory Services (ELAS), found that 52% of respondents assess the chances of a member of staff falling pregnant before employing them.
ELAS pointed to a rise in cases over pregnancy and new starters, however, only one in 20 respondents said they would hire a pregnant worker.
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Peter Mooney, head of consultancy at ELAS, warned against tribunal action for those employers who flouted the current laws.
“It is a very dangerous area and you simply cannot ask the question about plans for a family in an interview. For many bosses it is down to the bottom line – a pregnant member of staff will cost money. However a visit to a tribunal can be even more costly,” he said.
