TUC condemns pregnancy figures

22/04/2008

Trade unions have condemned the results of a survey, which suggested three quarters of bosses would not hire a woman if they knew she was going to fall pregnant within six months of starting the job.

The survey, by Employment Law Advisory Services (ELAS), found more than half of bosses assess how likely a prospective member of staff is to fall pregnant before deciding to employ them.

The news comes in the wake of Natasha Kaplinsky’s announcement that she had fallen pregnant, six weeks after signing a £1m-a-year contract with Channel Five.

Over 85% of employers admitted they would feel ‘cheated’ if they were in the same position, with over seven in ten adding that they would like more powers to ask candidates about their plans for a family.

Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Brendan Barber said far too many bosses are still seeing pregnant women as an ‘inconvenience to be dispensed with at the earliest opportunity’.

“It shows nothing has changed since a 2005 investigation which found pregnant women were discriminated against during recruitment, while at work, on maternity leave, and when they returned to work,” he said.

“By discriminating like this, employers are not only breaking the law, but also disadvantaging themselves by excluding many talented workers.”