Pregnant workers 'expoliting' their employers?!!!

[littlelamb]

The Times on the Kaplinsky
I have no opinion on the woman myself, but the whole article just smacks of bad taste imo. 'Sir Alan Sugar was right when he said recently that women should tell their employers about their reproductive plans. In doing so he made himself unpopular. However, it is surely unfair - and commercially disastrous - to expect an employer to take on, unknown, the risks to his business that new mothers are likely to impose on him.' It is opinions like this that makes it so hard for people like me to find work in the first place

Nice to see sisterhood is still alive and kicking.

That article is DISGUSTING!

I work at a massive company, which is supportive of women who are pregnant. We get a decent maternity package, and support when we return. We have had some "timing" within the team - when we were a team of four, one girl announced she was pg, and a few weeks later I found out I was pregnant too, so we were on maternity leave within six weeks of one another. Work was still standing when we got back, nobody missed us!

At the end of the day, work pay you to work, do a good job and your duties, they do NOT pay you not to get pregnant and sacrafice your life plans!

nkf, it paying pitiul stat maternity pay and providing cover for pregnant women is the difference between survival or not of a business then I'd suggest it's not a viable business.

If paying pitiful that should say, sorry!

Wickedwaterwitch - I completely agree. Article doesn't mention that small businesses can claim back 105% of maternity pay from Inland Revenue!!

I am sure it is no coincidence that you get to a certain age (27+) and it seems to get harder to get job interviews. Men, though with less experience and qualifications, always got the jobs I had applied for. Spiteful article doesn't seem to mention that a lot of employers aren't even hiring women of child bearing age.

So do you think the small business owners are just moaning unreasonably?

I have to say I agree with Sugar in this.

FWIW my DH is a part owner of a small business and he has had a few ladies go on maternity leave and he has never moaed about - it is just one of those things. He has, however, been let down big style by male and female employers. That is what happens when you employ HUMANS!