How does maternity leave affect your business?
Posted 15 July 2008 at 10:07AM by Hannah Gilchrist in Doing business online
The struggles of employees taking maternity leave has always been one of those problems greatly acknowledged in the workplace but never complained about for fear of being held up in court.
But with women now entitled to a year off for each child, is the prospect of maternity leave damaging businesses across the country?
Unfortunately women are becoming a less attractive prospect for employers in the UK. Whilst women should be entitled to time off to look after their new-borns, Sir Alan Sugar added more fuel to the fire by claiming many CVs from women of child-bearing age are simply discarded.
So with the latest Work and Families Act opening up a realm of possibilities for every employer, are people still reluctant to hire women just in case they take up these offers? Or have we come further than we think in terms of equality in the workplace?
Tags: bt, bt broadbandoffice, maternity leave, work and families Act
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Comments
2. At July 16, 2008 11:54 PM, James Lyon wrote:
Laws or no laws - As a small business person I would not consider employing a woman under any circumstances - I just could not afford it.
It is OK for National and Local Government to employ women - They just pass the cost on to the poor old Tax Payer and Council Tax Payer and Business Tax Payer.
Government and Local Government just do not have a clue about the costs imposed on businesses or even how to run a business.
They all live in cuckoo land and think money grows on trees. This government is just driving small businesses out of business with its silly ideas of political correctness and vote getting laws and regulations. Soon we shall see the high streets up and down the country full of empty dilapidated shops and business premises.
3. At July 17, 2008 12:03 AM, Mr. D Kiddy wrote:
I would hate to think that someone wouldnt get the job just because of their fertility but id think it be the reason of many turn aways.
4. At July 17, 2008 4:18 PM, 'Razor' Ramone wrote:
Here's the rub, by making it incredibly difficult for women who wish to have children to get a job, we spawn ever more of these hard-edged career women who don't want a child until their 30s, by which time their reproductive cycles have slowed and they are worse mothers. I apologise to any senior mothers out there, but that is biological fact.
So, long and short is, we should not be ostracising our young mothers in the workplace, because we're causing more harm to society and our children by doing so.
More power to working mothers. Fathers should be entitled to the same time off as well, at least post-birth anyway. If the fathers were also entitled, they could ease the pressure from the mother and seriously reduce the time they require off.
Teleworking would be a worthwhile ivestment too, no reason you can't work just because mobility is a problem. Admittedly your responsibility will reduce the workload you could get through in a day, but not remove it entirely.
5. At July 17, 2008 7:57 PM, John wrote:
Sure, all this sounds great for the female worker,but lets get real, how many small businesses can afford that sort of luxury.
If the "government" want to do it it ...LET THEM PAY
6. At July 21, 2008 7:55 AM, James wrote:
Women and Men should remember that if they have any periods of time off work they are missing out on changes taking place in the workplace and possible promotions.
How about introducing a scheme where people who have time off, have to work extra hours without pay to make up for the hours lost. Payback time.
For long periods off, how about repaying lost hours over say 3 years or making up for lost hours with a proportinate reduction in wages or salary for one to three years.
We are now living in a something for nothing society.
Lets get back to reality and basic economics.
Small business just cannot afford to have anybody off work without some form of payback scheme.
A local Hospital Doctor has had four children on the trot - The NHS had to pay for replacement doctors - We as tax payers had to pay for this. There must be some form of PAYBACK introduced.
I am now 70 and still working and the only time I had off work was a few days after somebody crashed into my car in 1986. I paid a driver to get me to my 3 work places a day and then back home, as I had a fractured Cuboid in my right foot and could not drive my self.
Come on Mr Brown - Introduce PAYBACK FOR LOST WORKING HOURS !!!
7. At July 22, 2008 11:48 AM, Nikki wrote:
It is important to bear in mind that those off on maternity time are busy rearing and nuturing tomorrows MPs, CEOs, PMs, government workers etc.
There cannot be talk of payback, because the payoff comes from the pensions we will receive as a result of these women ensuring that a workforce exists in the future! Child rearing is a job, and this is the little payment women get for doing it. When it is done well society will benefit from less gangs, less theft and less untimely deaths among other things. Placing sanctions on childbearing women is a step to eliminate the ever dwindling labour force.
8. At July 23, 2008 12:12 AM, James wrote:
Niki - You say - "Child rearing is a job". I say that the Government should pay - NOT HARD PRESSED SMALL BUSINESSES. Overpaid and inefficient government workers are draining our society and forcing up taxes for businesses and individuals.
Women should choose between a career and bringing up children.
"When it is done well" ??? The problem is that most times it is NOT done well - The reason why we have gangs on street corners is because mothers are working and not at home bringing up their children and teaching them RIGHT FROM WRONG. Too many children are left for hours on end without parental care and direction.
"MPs, CEOs, PMs," Only 2% of the population gets to this level - what about the other 98% .
With regards to Pensions - People should save up during their life time for their own pension - Not rely on the younger generation to pay for their pension.
Nothing is free - Bring back the stable family of Man and Wife. If people choose to have children one or the other should stay at home to look after the children that they decided to have. If you cannot afford children - Then dont have them. We need PAYBACK TIME INTRODUCED - WE ARE LIVING IN A SOMETHING FOR NOTHING SOCIETY.
9. At July 23, 2008 1:53 PM, Andy Chainsaw wrote:
James,
This is quite possibly the first reasonable thing you have ever posted here..."With regards to Pensions - People should save up during their life time for their own pension - Not rely on the younger generation to pay for their pension."
... too bad everything else you say is racist, sexist bile!
Also, payback time will not be introduced until after the next election at least bud.
Stay frosty - AC
10. At July 23, 2008 3:22 PM, the master chief wrote:
James - well said about society in general .
Somthing for nothing society - very true. Improperly brought up kids ruin our country. headlines speak for themselves - Dad gets killed by a bunch of 14 year old savages because he decided to play cricket with his son ,A somerfield employee gets his jaw broken in 7 places just becase he decided to confron the 17 year olds outside on the stree. Wait till you hear this - two cops get beaten up by a crowd of teenagers on croydon high street for asking a girl (?) to pick up the chocalate wrapper she had dropped.
I think we are looking for terrorists in the wrong direction ......
11. At July 25, 2008 12:55 AM, james wrote:
What a lovely world we live in - Grab what you can for nothing.
The small business person has to save every week to pay for their own pension - Whilst those who work for National and Local Government expect every body else to contribute to their pension.
To the Small Business person, they can no longer afford to employ anybody who might want to have a regular free holiday or sickie on them. Male or female.
Part of selection today must now be, will they give a full fair days work, day in and day out for the next 5 years or so. If not, I might go bust together with the pension that I have been saving for.
We need National Payback time for all employees before the COUNTRY GOES BUST AND TO THE WALL.
12. At July 25, 2008 12:42 PM, Andy Chainsaw wrote:
Seriously James?
This "payback time" idea of yours sounds good on paper, however, if someone is genuinely unable to work (for example if they are hit by a car or have avian flu or if they are ready to pop as I would be working for you!) then you can't just ask them to work for nothing out of hours just to repay you.
As an employer you are not their god. People have the right to rest if they are ill. If you want to make sure that everyone in your business cares about it the way that you do, then become a sole trader. If you are a sole trader...wrap it with the "payback hours" chat. Besides I bet you voted Labour a decade ago! (Just kidding.)The country went to the wall in the eighties with Thatcher. After the tories kicked away the ladder with the social housing scandal that still wreaks [possible sic] havoc throughout our vile nation. The problem is caused by bad parenting I'll give you that, I'm kind. However, the state of our broken society is not down to a couple of sickies a year on the part of us underpaid grunts!
Also, James, 'everybody' is ONE WORD!
Stay cool
- AC
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1. At July 15, 2008 1:04 PM, J G Dawson wrote: