Majority of UK employers think women should tell them if they’re pregnant

A new study from the UK shows that many employers are 'in the dark ages' when it comes to women having children.

The majority of Britain's private sector employers think women should disclose their pregnancy, an attitude described as 'worrying'. In a survey, almost six in ten employers (59 per cent) said they think women should tell them if they're pregnant during the recruitment process. Over a third (36 per cent) believe that it's fair to ask a woman whether she plans on having a child. Almost half, meanwhile, think it's reasonable to ask a woman applying for a job whether she has young children. Outside of recruitment, the survey shows that many employers appear to view an employee's pregnancy as an inconvenience. 44 per cent of those questioned said women should work somewhere for at least a year before deciding to have children. The same number think that women who have had more than one pregnancy while in the same job can be a 'burden' to their team. Around a third believe that new mums and pregnant are 'generally less interested in career progression' than others in work and four in ten claimed to have seen at least one pregnant woman 'take advantage' of their pregnancy in the workplace, whilst The study, commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, surveyed 1,106 private employers in Britain. "It is a depressing reality that, when it comes to the rights of pregnant woman and new mothers in the workplace, we are still living in the dark ages," said Rebecca Hilsenrath, head of the commission. She called for employers to end 'maternity discrimination' and has urged women to use the hashtag #maternitywrongs on social media to highlight their workplace issues around pregnancy and child-rearing.