More than half of all mothers have faced some form of discrimination while pregnant, on maternity leave or on their return to work, according to campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed.
The group surveyed more than 24,000 parents, revealing that almost a fifth (19%) had left their employer due to a negative experience related to their maternity. The research also found that 74% of women had received comments that their performance had dipped due to pregnancy or maternity leave.
Almost two-thirds (64%) of pregnant women said their boss or colleagues had made hurtful comments about the way they looked. One in 10 said they were bullied or harassed when pregnant or returning to work, and 7% were made redundant or forced to leave due to a flexible working request being declined or health and safety issues.
A small proportion of women (one in every 61) had even received suggestions from their managers that they should terminate their pregnancy. One woman was told it would be better for her career “if you just brought a coat hanger”, insinuating she should perform an abortion on herself.
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Although the Health and Safety Executive recommends that employers provide a private, healthy environment for nursing mothers to breastfeed, express or store milk, 90% of mothers had to use a toilet or other unsuitable space.
Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “These stats show how far we have to go before mothers are truly accepted as equal members of the workplace.
“We know that women are treated differently from the point they get pregnant. They are viewed as distracted and less committed to their work, despite there being no change to their performance.
“This bias plays out in numerous ways, affecting women’s earnings and career potential. There is absolutely no excuse for bosses, who hold the power, to tell their employee to abort a pregnancy. It is sex discrimination and it is inhumane.”
Women were also treated differently around other aspects of their reproductive health, the survey found.
Almost a third (32%) who revealed to their employer they had had an abortion felt they were treated unfairly as a result. Most did not tell their employer (58%) as they feared they would be judged negatively.
Brierley added that many bosses’ actions were “shameful” towards women, creating a detrimental impact on their mental health.
“Why as a society do we accept women being a target for such abuse? These hurtful comments chip away at women’s confidence, their ambition and feeling of belonging,” she said.
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“Pregnant women are made to feel like an unsightly burden, no wonder a high proportion of women report feeling depressed or anxious when pregnant and one in five women leave their employer after becoming pregnant.’’
A bill designed to protect pregnant women and new parents – the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill – is due to come into force later this month, having received Royal Assent in May.
