Maternity Discrimination: Westminster Hall debate

Despite legal protections, pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace is widespread. Research published in March 2016 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found, among other things:

• Overall, three in four mothers (77%) said they had a negative or possibly discriminatory experience during pregnancy, maternity leave, and/or on return from maternity leave. If scaled up to the general population this could mean as many as 390,000 mothers a year.
• Around one in nine mothers (11%) reported they felt forced to leave their job. This included those being dismissed (1%); made compulsorily redundant, where others in their workplace were not (1%); or feeling treated so poorly they felt they had to leave their job (9%). If scaled up to the general population this could mean as many as 54,000 mothers a year.
• If scaled up to the general population this could mean as many as 54,000 mothers a year. If scaled up to the general population this could mean as many as 54,000 mothers a year.
• One in 25 mothers (4%) left their jobs because of risks not being tackled. One in 25 mothers (4%) left their jobs because of risks not being tackled.
• One in ten (10%) mothers were discouraged from attending antenatal appointments. This could mean as many as 53,000 mothers a year.

This briefing provides and overview of the issue, together with references to recent research and parliamentary debate.