Employer attitudes to discrimination against pregnant women and women with young children during the recruitment process: survey results
Employer attitudes towards maternity are deeply concerning for all women. A survey of more than 400 Mumsnet users involved in recruitment provides sobering confirmation of just how far some employers will go to ensure that they don’t fulfil their responsibilities towards pregnant women and mothers - up to and including being reluctant to recruit any woman of childbearing age.
The survey - carried out to mark Mumsnet's event on women and employment, Workfest - revealed that 72% of employers and recruiters agree that the industry in general discriminate against pregnant women, with four in 10 claiming that dealing with pregnancy and maternity leave is 'a nightmare'.
See the full survey results below
|
Have you ever interviewed an
applicant for a role who you've known to be pregnant
before or at interview stage?
|
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Yes | 17% |
| No | 75% |
| Don't know | 8% |
|
Have you ever offered a job to a woman you knew was pregnant? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Yes
|
21% |
| No | 75% |
| Don't know | 4% |
|
Have you ever offered a job to an applicant and then subsequently found out they were pregnant when they applied? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Yes | 26% |
| No | 73% |
| Don't know | 1%
|
|
The Equality Act 2010 states that employers must not refuse to employ
women purely because they are pregnant or on maternity leave when
they apply for a job, or because they have (or have had) an illness
related to their pregnancy. Applicants do not have to disclose that
they are pregnant, and if the job is offered to them it cannot be
withdrawn purely because of the pregnancy. Employers are also not
allowed to ask about sexuality, plans for future children, or
arrangements for childcare. Thinking about equalities legislation
regarding candidates' pregnancy, maternity and
childcare status, and its implications for recruitment, which of the
following statements comes closest to your view?"
|
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| It's very positive and necessary, and good for business overall | 47% |
| On the whole I think it's a positive thing, although with some downsides | 28% |
| It's a bit annoying and restrictive, but doesn't have a big impact | 11% |
| It restricts employers' room for manoeuvre, which is detrimental for business | 8%
|
| Other | 5% |
| Don't know (skipped) | 1% |
|
When it comes to your current business or
organisation, for each of the following, please tell us whether these
things cause recruitment problems or problems when dealing with new
hires:
|
|---|
| Causes huge problems | Causes noticable problems | Doesn't cause significant problems
|
Doesn't cause problems at all | Don't know | |
| Lack of suitable applicants due to specialised requirements of the work | 21% | 36% | 27% | 14% | 1% |
| Fierce competition for suitable applicants
from competitors or other businesses
|
12% | 27% | 37% | 23% | 2% |
| Salary expectations that are too high
|
9% | 29% | 38% | 23% | 1% |
| Applicants being unwilling to work the necessary specified employment hours/shift patterns | 11% | 30% | 31% | 27% | 1% |
| Poor basic skills (literacy and numeracy) | 16% | 27% | 29% | 27% | 1% |
| Poor people skills/soft skills | 18% | 34% | 30% | 17% | 1% |
| Lack of commitment/willingness to go the
extra mile
|
12% | 36% | 33% | 16% | 2% |
| Lack of maturity/level-headedness | 14% | 36% | 33% | 17% | 1% |
| Unfamiliarity with the sector or nature of the business | 9% | 28% | 39% | 22% | 2% |
| Dealing with employees'
pregnancies
|
2% | 15% | 43% | 38% | 2% |
| Absence or other inconvenience caused by
employees' caring responsibilities for children
|
5% | 18% | 52% | 24% | 1% |
| Lack of enthusiasm/get-up-and-go among
applicants and new recruits
|
13% | 35% | 28% | 21% | 2% |
|
Lord Sugar once famously claimed that laws
banning bosses from asking women about children and childcare plans
during job interviews are counterproductive, and that women should be
'forthcoming'. Which of the
following comes closest to your views about this?
|
|---|
| Answer options | Response
percent |
| No, the law is there for a good reason and nobody should feel they have to discuss these things during a recruitment process | 69%
|
| I do not think the law should be changed, but I think women should be forthcoming with this information of their own accord | 25%
|
| The law should be changed so that employers can ask about pregnancy,
children and childcare plans at interview stage
|
4% |
| Don't know
|
2% |
|
In your current or any previous jobs, have
you ever heard someone responsible for recruitment expressing any of
the following views? Please tick all that apply
|
|---|
| Answer options | Response
percent |
| That they would never hire a woman of child-bearing age | 28%
|
| That given the choice between an equally capable male candidate,
they'd always choose the male
|
27% |
| That employing women is an extra hassle
|
31% |
| Net: At least one of these views | 51%
|
| No, I’ve never heard those views | 49% |
| Don't know | 1% |
|
In recruitment processes that you've
observed or participated in, have you ever....
|
|---|
| Answer Options
|
Yes
|
No
|
Don't know
|
| seen outright discrimination against women who are pregnant, on maternity leave, or have dependent children? | 20% | 77% | 3% |
| suspected discrimination against women who are pregnant, on maternity leave, or have dependent children? | 42% | 56% | 2% |
|
In your opinion, do employers and
recruiters in general discriminate against pregnant women, women of
childbearing age, or women with dependent children when recruiting?
|
|---|
| Answer options | Lots of discrimination | Some discrimination | Barely any discrimination
|
No discrimination at all
|
Don't know
|
N/A |
| Pregnant women | 20% | 52%
|
12%
|
8%
|
8%
|
- |
| Women on maternity leave
|
13% | 54%
|
15%
|
9%
|
8%
|
1% |
| All women of childbearing age | 4%
|
47%
|
27%
|
15%
|
6%
|
0% |
|
To what extent do you agree with the
following statements
|
|---|
| Answer options | Net: Agree | Net: Disagree | Strongly agree | Tend to agree | Tend to disagree | Strongly disagree | Don't know/skipped |
| Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are more likely to
discriminate against pregnant women than larger businesses
|
70% | 19% | 15% | 55% | 16% | 3% | 11% |
|
Female employers are just as likely to discriminate against pregnant
women as male employers
|
81% | 13% | 24% | 57% | 11% | 2% | 6% |
| Businesses without an HR department are more likely to discriminate
against pregnant women than those who have one
|
68% | 21% | 22% | 47% | 19% | 2% | 10% |
| Dealing with pregnancy and maternity leave is a nightmare for
employers
|
41% | 54% | 10% | 31% | 42% | 12% | 5% |
| UK equality law has been effective at eradicating discrimination
against pregnant women
|
36% | 56% | 2% | 34% | 37% | 19% | 7%
|
| There's a culture of discrimination against pregnant women in work
|
46% | 46% | 8% | 38% | 36% | 10% | 8%
|
Employer survey of 414 Mumsnet users who employ staff directly, or who participate directly in recruitment processes at their organisation (drafting job ads; shortlisting and interviewing candidates; and contributing to final decisions about job offers). Survey ran 21 March - 2 May 2016. The data has not been weighted.
Last chance to join us at Workfest on 14 May 2016 at Euston Square. Book your tickets here!
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Last updated: about 4 years ago