Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Major UK Companies Act to End 'Discrimination Scandal' for New Mums

Ten big British employers have agreed to publish their parental leave and pay policies, a lawmaker announced on Thursday (27) as she demanded an end to the "scandal" of discrimination against pregnant women and new parents.

Parliamentarian Jo Swinson, who is spearheading a campaign for greater transparency, said getting companies to publish their policies meant no one would have to ask the question in a job interview, potentially scuppering their chances.


Swinson, who is herself on maternity leave, said there was a "massive problem" with pregnancy discrimination in Britain with 54,000 women losing their jobs every year.

"It is a scandal, it is a disgrace," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"Still far too many employers feel it is acceptable to get away with pregnancy discrimination."

The companies, representing more than 160,000 employees, include accounting and consultancy firms Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, banks RBS and Santander, and law firm Linklaters.

Swinson, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats party, called for others to follow suit.

She said protecting parental leave rights was crucial for the health and wellbeing of the next generation, allowing mothers to recover from birth, bond with their babies and breastfeed.

Companies' lack of transparency also deterred men from asking for parental leave or flexible working, she added.

Swinson, who recently made history by becoming the first lawmaker to take her baby to a parliamentary debate, said employers must help parents balance work and family responsibilities.

The former business minister said strong parental leave policies were also good for the economy.

"If people feel the only option is that they have to leave the labour market then that's got a really negative impact on the entire economy," she added.

She expressed hope the fact that many of the 10 companies were international could spur change elsewhere.

"What we do here ... can be a catalyst for change more widely," she said.

Britain's government agreed last month to publish parental leave details for all its departments.

Swinson is pursuing a Private Member's Bill to require all organisations with more than 250 employees to publish details of their policies.

Rosalind Bragg, director of charity Maternity Action, said unfair and unlawful treatment of pregnant women and new mothers was a major problem.

"More needs to be done to shine a light on poor employer practice," she added.

Reuters

More For You

Trump’s Promise: TikTok Deal Before April 5 to Avoid Ban

This is not the first time that TikTok has been under scrutiny in the United States

Getty

Trump promises TikTok deal before April 5 to prevent ban

As the clock ticks towards the April 5 deadline, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, with President Donald Trump promising that a deal to resolve the app's ongoing issues will be struck before the deadline. The central issue at hand is whether TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, will be forced to divest the popular social media platform or face a ban in the U.S.

In a statement made aboard Air Force One late on Sunday, Trump confirmed that there was "tremendous interest" from potential buyers looking to acquire TikTok. He expressed his desire for the platform to "remain alive" and emphasized that multiple buyers were keen on striking a deal, suggesting that a solution would be reached before the deadline.

Keep ReadingShow less
Primark-London-Getty

During his 15-year tenure, Marchant expanded Primark’s store network to more than 450 locations across 17 countries in Europe and the United States. (Photo: Reuters)

Primark chief Paul Marchant steps down after misconduct probe

PAUL MARCHANT, the head of fashion retailer Primark, has resigned with immediate effect after admitting to an "error of judgment" in his behaviour towards a woman in a social setting.

Associated British Foods (AB Foods), Primark's parent company, announced his resignation on Monday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jaguar’s bold gamble: Can it woo young, wealthy drivers with a £123k EV?

Jaguar’s bold gamble: Can it woo young, wealthy drivers with a £123k EV?

JAGUAR’S ambition to seduce younger, richer drivers was on full display in Paris with a presentation of its newest prototype, the Type 00, which promises all-electric luxury... at a steep price.

The low-slung, muscular-looking concept car presented to European reporters last Friday (21) prefigures a production model expected mid-2026 at a base cost of €150,000 (£123,472.8).

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-trump-getty
Trump shakes hands with Modi during a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on February 25, 2020. (Photo: Getty Images)

India-US trade talks end with no sign of tariff relief

INDIA and the United States have agreed to move forward on finalising a part of their bilateral trade deal this year, but there was no indication of any tariff relief for India.

Trade discussions took place in New Delhi ahead of the implementation of US president Donald Trump's new trade tariff regime, which includes import levies on India, set to take effect from 2 April.

Keep ReadingShow less