Discrimination during maternity leave

Discrimination during maternity leave

Author
Discussion

Granfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
desolate said:
Get away with what?

Discriminating against women, on the grounds of them being of child bearing age.

Are you an employer?

Yes - have been a significant shareholder and senior management in a number of businesses since 2003. At peak employed around 300 people currently have around 60 employees across a few smaller businesses.


As said - this argument will go nowhere, but I hope my credentials at least allow me to comment without being dismissed by the hard done by business owners and valiant entrepreneurs.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but where do you stand on the opinion if the best person for the job is someone that won't be taking a year of work then surely that is part of the vetting process of the employer!
If there was a job advertised for a surrogate mother and the applicants included a man and a 90 year old woman would they be discriminated against because they couldn't fulfil the job?

Anyhoo us employers have to get back the sweatshop and make sure the girlys skirts are short enough and their tops are unbuttoned to the waist! wink



JustinP1

13,330 posts

231 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Granfondo said:
Anyhoo us employers have to get back the sweatshop and make sure the girlys skirts are short enough and their tops are unbuttoned to the waist! wink
What are you playing at man?

The only way you can trust they are not thieving from you is confiscating clothes at the start of the shift.

moorx

3,547 posts

115 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Granfondo said:
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but where do you stand on the opinion if the best person for the job is someone that won't be taking a year of work then surely that is part of the vetting process of the employer!
These employers must have incredible clairvoyant powers if they know who will/won't 'be taking a year of(sic) work'.

How would you know that of anyone (male or female)?

Granfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
moorx said:
These employers must have incredible clairvoyant powers if they know who will/won't 'be taking a year of(sic) work'.

How would you know that of anyone (male or female)?
That's why employers get the big bucks! wink

Seriously if the applicants are between the ages of 16-45 then .... wink

Edited by Granfondo on Wednesday 14th October 12:56


P.S. don't employ vegetarians either,they always have the cold! wink

Edited by Granfondo on Wednesday 14th October 12:59

PurpleMoonlight

22,362 posts

158 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
moorx said:
These employers must have incredible clairvoyant powers if they know who will/won't 'be taking a year of(sic) work'.

How would you know that of anyone (male or female)?
To a certain extent that's true now that maternity leave can be transferred to paternity leave.

However, women don't give up their advantages easily and by and large men don't want months off to look after a baby so I don't see huge take up.

PurpleMoonlight

22,362 posts

158 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Granfondo said:
Seriously if the applicants are between the ages of 16-45 then .... wink


P.S. don't employ vegetarians either,they always have the cold! wink
Or smokers, they keep nipping out for a fag.

Or fatties, they keep nipping out to the fridge.

Or old people, they keep nipping out to the loo.

Come to think of it, I think I would be better off on my own idea

Granfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
Granfondo said:
Seriously if the applicants are between the ages of 16-45 then .... wink


P.S. don't employ vegetarians either,they always have the cold! wink
Or smokers, they keep nipping out for a fag.

Or fatties, they keep nipping out to the fridge.

Or old people, they keep nipping out to the loo.

Come to think of it, I think I would be better off on my own idea
Nah, you would have no one to blame when things go wrong! biggrin

moorx

3,547 posts

115 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Granfondo said:
That's why employers get the big bucks! wink

Seriously if the applicants are between the ages of 16-45 then .... wink
Edited by Granfondo on Wednesday 14th October 12:59
Oh, that's okay then - so you're applying this to both men and women between those ages....

moorx

3,547 posts

115 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
Come to think of it, I think I would be better off on my own idea
Some might agree with you; I couldn't possibly comment wink

Granfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
moorx said:
Granfondo said:
That's why employers get the big bucks! wink

Seriously if the applicants are between the ages of 16-45 then .... wink
Edited by Granfondo on Wednesday 14th October 12:59
Oh, that's okay then - so you're applying this to both men and women between those ages....
Don't be daft!
Staying at home with kids is woman's work!!! wink

IanA2

2,763 posts

163 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Actus Reus said:
This thread, in places, could do with a sousaphone accompaniment.
I think some kind of head banging heavy metal, played at brain destroying volume, would be more appropriate.

moorx

3,547 posts

115 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
IanA2 said:
I think some kind of head banging heavy metal, played at brain destroying volume, would be more appropriate.
Don't you mean this kind of head banging? banghead

IanA2

2,763 posts

163 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
mph1977 said:
IanA2 said:
RobinOakapple said:
IanA2 said:

Carefully chosen words, and rightly so as we know women still face considerable hurdles in the workplace.
Anything in particular?
I particularly enjoy imagining your comical posts being sung in baritone. Sort of sugar coats them....
in the manner of a G+S patter song ?
Yes: "My boy, you may take it from me" would seem particularly apposite.

Granfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
moorx said:
IanA2 said:
I think some kind of head banging heavy metal, played at brain destroying volume, would be more appropriate.
Don't you mean this kind of head banging? banghead
Is there a glass ceiling smiley? wink

_dobbo_

14,403 posts

249 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
Damn right.

They are running businesses not charities. They want employees that will turn up for work not have a year off, or several, not call in unable to attend when little Tommy has the squits, and have their mind on their work and not what little Tommy needs to take to school the next day.
What I want is good, capable, talented staff. Whether they have children, will have children, or are a forever alone fedora wearer, doesn't bother me a bit. I'll recruit the right person for the role.

Unless all your child free employees never take a sick day because they are hungover? Looking back at the history of staff in my team, those with children take far, far less sick days than those without.

moorx

3,547 posts

115 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Granfondo said:
Is there a glass ceiling smiley? wink
Why would there be, on a male-oriented forum such as this? wink Mumsnet, maybe....

Anyway, the glass ceiling doesn't exist, does it, so why are you asking?

PurpleMoonlight

22,362 posts

158 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
moorx said:
Some might agree with you; I couldn't possibly comment wink
It would be cool. I could then skive and play on the internet all day.

Oh no, wait a minute I can only do that because the employees do all the work.

hehe

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
...
I don't buy the glass ceiling argument. The best person for the job should get it. To have criteria that require a certain percentage of a gender in a particular role by definition discriminates against the other gender.

..
It appears that you do not understand what a glass ceiling is. It is nothing to do with selection on merit. It is about an invisible barrier to advancement based on gender.

Granfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
moorx said:
Granfondo said:
Is there a glass ceiling smiley? wink
Why would there be, on a male-oriented forum such as this? wink Mumsnet, maybe....

Anyway, the glass ceiling doesn't exist, does it, so why are you asking?
Your right, coz there's a bird in charge of Anne Summers! biggrin

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
The dynamics of a business employing 300 are vastly different to one employing 3.

I posted much earlier in the thread about an associate that had two of four on maternity leave at the same time. It crippled his business for several months.

I would never blame any small business seeking to employ only people that will not be potentially detrimental to their livelihood. The law is well meaning but overly burdensome to small businesses and therefor has unintended consequences.
I said 300 over a number of businesses.

I currently have one with 6 staff, 2 of whom are pregnant or recently with child.
I can confirm it's a bit of a challenge.