THE NUMBER of pregnant women and new mothers losing their jobs in Britain has shown an “alarming” rise as employers target them for redundancy ahead of childless colleagues, according to an alliance of support groups.
The Alliance Against Pregnancy Discrimination in the Workplace has identified a sharp increase in women consulting lawyers or calling helplines because their jobs have been terminated during maternity leave or pregnancy.
“It appears that some employers are using the recession as an excuse to break the law on discrimination,” the alliance warned. About 30,000 women are estimated to lose their jobs as a result of pregnancy every year, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, but that figure is expected to rise because of the downturn. – (Guardian service)