Scottish government pledges action on workplace maternity rights

The Scottish government has pledged to improve workplace maternity rights ahead of a report from theEquality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) later in the spring.

Fair work minister Roseanna Cunningham presented the plan at a breakfast session on the issue organised by the EHRC and Working Families andFamily Friendly Working Scotland, hosted by Maclay, Murray and Spens LLP in Edinburgh. The meeting was also attended by Barclays Bank and theScottish Parliament.

She said: “Sadly in 2016, negative consequences of being pregnant or a new mother while working remain frustratingly common. This is unacceptable in a modern Scotland and does not sit well in a fair and equitable society.

“A report from the EHRC on these issues will be published in the coming weeks and as part of the Scottish government’s commitment to fairer workplaces, we want to tackle these issues head on. Discrimination during pregnancy or following birth has the potential to set patterns that persist for the rest of a woman’s working life and we need to ensure it is stopped.”

Ms Cunningham added: “Recent female employment figures have been strong, particularly when compared to the rest of Europe, and we are making progress on the 5050 by 2020 pledge, with a number of organisations signing up. The latest figures also show a drop of 1.8 percentage points in the gender pay gap over the year, so progress is being made. However we must keep highlighting that motherhood does not detract from a worker’s productivity or value.

“We have set up the Fair Work Convention which will publish its framework for fairer workplaces in the coming weeks. In the meantime, however, if there are opportunities to improve the rights of employees we will take them.”

Sarah Jackson OBE, CEO of Working Families and chair of the Family Friendly Working Scotland steering group, added: “Too many women contact our free legal advice service each year because they have been subject to discrimination during pregnancy, maternity or on their return to work. This short changes families and short changes the economy.

“Family Friendly Working Scotland was established to support and promote family friendly workplaces. We therefore welcome today’s announcement by the Scottish government of new measures to help pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace.”