Surely this isn't right?

[Yummiestmum333]

My friend has a 2 year old DD and has always worked fulltime. She recently applied for a job and had an interview that went really well. The job is working for a small company, and she was interviewed by the company owner, who is a man in his fifties. He asked her quite a lot of questions about her child at the interview such as "do you feel able to juggle work and motherhood?"

The day before Christmas Eve, the owner rang to offer her the job, and said it was dependent on satisfactory references being received and also he asked for the name and telephone number of her childminder so that he could check she had adequate, reliable childcare, and said that this would have a bearing on whether the job offer would continue.

My friend is gobsmacked to be honest, she really wants the job but obviously what the owner is doing is illegal isn't it? What should be my friend's next step? She hasn't heard back from him regarding references and "childminder vetting" yet.

Thanks :-)

eh? That is VERY odd.

Jesus that's weird. Regardless of whether he is satisfied with her childminder etc does she really want to work for such a idiot? Has she asked him for references from his wife so she can check he's not always such an arse?!

well, it porbably is sex discrimination - I doubt he would have asked hte father of a 2 year old about his arrangements and followed up re childcare; however I can understand it. A small company in the current climate can't afford to have someone who is regularly absent due to kids' illnesses and childcare issues, and it is normally the mother who sorts this out and her work is disrupted as a result. Over the years I've had to regularly deal with individuals who think that monthly absences to deal with kids is acceptable. Not knowing that asking this stuff is pretty out of touch though, so she might want to consider the culture of the company she's joining.

I'm pretty sure it's illegal for him to have asked those questions, as it's a form of sex discrimination - unless he'd be asking all the male candidates the same questions, which I doubt.

She could probbaly sue him if she doesn't get the job!

Unless she reall needs the job, I'd say not to take it - if he's this much of an arse about her responsibility for a child at this stage, just imagine what he'll be like if she ever needs to take any time off because of childcare issues, or her DD getting ill etc. Not worth the hassle working for a guy like that.

Yes, it's sex discrimination, since he almost certainly wouldn't have asked a man the same questions.

In theory, she could bring a claim against him and, since she has proved he would offer her the job but for the discrimination, could claim for hurt feelings (few hundred pounds) and lost earnings for any extra time it takes her to get a new job.

BUT.

Is it worth it? This guy is going to be an arse every time there's an issue. Every time she has to ask for the tiniest little bit of consideration/slack for family life, he will make it very difficult. Most mums (and a lot of dads) depend on this goodwill to make work and life fit together. Time off for school plays made up later, etc,etc.

I'd run a mile from this boss TBH

Name and shame this dinosaur? If he keeps getting away with it, working mothers gain nothing... I'd be up for sending him some forthright views!