More
than four-fifths of the UK’s
HR professionals believe bosses automatically think twice before employing
women of ‘child-bearing age’, according to a new survey.
The
online poll by Croner
Consulting was carried out following the widely reported comment of Godfrey
Bloom, of the UK Independence Party. He said: "No small businessman with a
brain in the right place would hire a lady of child-bearing age."
Of
the 164 HR professionals who responded to the poll, 84 per cent agreed.
Richard
Smith, HR expert at Croner,
said bosses should beware of potential sex discrimination claims from women who
feel they may be overlooked during recruitment because they are of childbearing
age.
"It
is unlawful sex discrimination to refuse to interview or employ a woman because
she is, or is suspected to be, pregnant,” he said. “This also applies to women
of childbearing age, since this is not something related to the ability to do
the job.
"Employers
should steer clear of asking during an interview when a woman plans to start a
family. This has nothing to do with her role as an employee and could be used
as evidence for sex discrimination at an employment tribunal,” Smith said.
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