Employing women of 'baby-making' age
Discussion
I'm really surprised at the people who can't see the risk (=risk of extra cost and lost business) associated with women of childbearing age (God, that sounds pompous!). If it's the company's money, then ok why not, a temp might be a welcome change for 6-12 months, but if it's your money or the company is struggling anyway, it's just simple maths. Probability and Cost.
But I also just realized that it's kind-of insulting to these women to expect to be able to rent a stunt-double while they're off. Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, we'll ring temps-are-us and get a clone of you who will be up to speed in no time. Unless your employees' jobs are so mundane that any monkey could do them? Or you only pay statuatory maternity pay, in which case you're not quite the benefactor you portray yourself to be? (My company and my wife's are both quite generous with maternity pay).
I fully agree with the comment about encouraging mothers to stay at home. One guy that works for me told me his childcare is 7 Euro's a day, so his wife only works a couple of days 'for fun'. Ours is £45 a day. I know there's a tax implication but surely it's worth it for the social benefits and for the greedy amongst you, for the additional pension contributions. I think the balance of society is all wrong, and meanwhile we need to import people from Poland and beyond to boost our working population. Madness!
But I also just realized that it's kind-of insulting to these women to expect to be able to rent a stunt-double while they're off. Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, we'll ring temps-are-us and get a clone of you who will be up to speed in no time. Unless your employees' jobs are so mundane that any monkey could do them? Or you only pay statuatory maternity pay, in which case you're not quite the benefactor you portray yourself to be? (My company and my wife's are both quite generous with maternity pay).
I fully agree with the comment about encouraging mothers to stay at home. One guy that works for me told me his childcare is 7 Euro's a day, so his wife only works a couple of days 'for fun'. Ours is £45 a day. I know there's a tax implication but surely it's worth it for the social benefits and for the greedy amongst you, for the additional pension contributions. I think the balance of society is all wrong, and meanwhile we need to import people from Poland and beyond to boost our working population. Madness!
Edited by Ordinary Bloke on Tuesday 20th November 21:15
Well, speaking from a small (family) business, we got really shafted by one particular employee recently.
Small company (5 in total), recently married job applicant. Informally chatting at the end of the interview, the question of family naturally comes up and the old man makes a point of explaining that, for a small business like ours, it would really cause a problem. Response is that there are no plans for children. Nope. No way. Never.
2 months later, she's pregnant. Cue maternity leave, getting an agency involved for a temp (as Justin described), not knowing until 6 months are up whether she'll be back or off for another 6 etc etc. It really
s up the stability and continuity of work.
I certainly agree that legislation needs to exist to protect mothers, but anyone who runs a small company who doesn't consider the possibility and risks to their business is being naive.
Small company (5 in total), recently married job applicant. Informally chatting at the end of the interview, the question of family naturally comes up and the old man makes a point of explaining that, for a small business like ours, it would really cause a problem. Response is that there are no plans for children. Nope. No way. Never.
2 months later, she's pregnant. Cue maternity leave, getting an agency involved for a temp (as Justin described), not knowing until 6 months are up whether she'll be back or off for another 6 etc etc. It really
s up the stability and continuity of work.I certainly agree that legislation needs to exist to protect mothers, but anyone who runs a small company who doesn't consider the possibility and risks to their business is being naive.
Edited by Famous Graham on Wednesday 21st November 15:58
BliarOut said:
Snipped irrelevant crap about Bliar's "life"
I don't know how you define success but by my terms I'd say I've got the balance spot on.
:flicksthevees:
What on earth was that posted for? You were trying to tell me how to run a business, and I was pointing out that you never exactly did that in any particularly spectacular fashion.I don't know how you define success but by my terms I'd say I've got the balance spot on.
:flicksthevees:
Quite what the size of your bike has to do with that, I don't know, but it clearly made you feel good to try to boast.
Olf said:
[ On that day, when, as they always do in the end, his employer shafts him or forces him into a morally questionable position I hope he comes out the other end of the mincing machine with the same unerring optimism!
How on earth can they shaft me? On the day that they decide they do not want me to work for them, they ask me to leave, and I walk out the door. What ed up world do you live in where your employer can make you do immoral things?NorthernBoy said:
BliarOut said:
Snipped irrelevant crap about Bliar's "life"
I don't know how you define success but by my terms I'd say I've got the balance spot on.
:flicksthevees:
What on earth was that posted for? You were trying to tell me how to run a business, and I was pointing out that you never exactly did that in any particularly spectacular fashion.I don't know how you define success but by my terms I'd say I've got the balance spot on.
:flicksthevees:
Quite what the size of your bike has to do with that, I don't know, but it clearly made you feel good to try to boast.
BliarOut said:
You just come across as a bit of a cock.
That is a bit funny coming from the guy who just got caught willy-waving about how well off you are in response to a completely unrelated point.Which, by the way, included a claim about your bike that is at odds with your profile.
If you want to try to make up boasts, maybe alter what you have stuck up there first, eh?
NorthernBoy said:
Olf said:
[ On that day, when, as they always do in the end, his employer shafts him or forces him into a morally questionable position I hope he comes out the other end of the mincing machine with the same unerring optimism!
How on earth can they shaft me? On the day that they decide they do not want me to work for them, they ask me to leave, and I walk out the door. What ed up world do you live in where your employer can make you do immoral things?Olf said:
NorthernBoy said:
Olf said:
[ On that day, when, as they always do in the end, his employer shafts him or forces him into a morally questionable position I hope he comes out the other end of the mincing machine with the same unerring optimism!
How on earth can they shaft me? On the day that they decide they do not want me to work for them, they ask me to leave, and I walk out the door. What ed up world do you live in where your employer can make you do immoral things?Olf said:
Employers shaft employees. Employers ask employees to do thing with heavy references to continued career sucess thrown in to oil the reluctant wheels. If you haven't seen either of these things going on in your career you're either incredibly lucky or incredibly thick skinned to the point of ignorance of the workings of the real world.
Grow up, eh?
NorthernBoy said:
Olf said:
Employers shaft employees. Employers ask employees to do thing with heavy references to continued career sucess thrown in to oil the reluctant wheels. If you haven't seen either of these things going on in your career you're either incredibly lucky or incredibly thick skinned to the point of ignorance of the workings of the real world.
Grow up, eh?
world do you live on?"Surely you're setting out to take it the wrong way. Why not just assume you incredibly lucky rather than getting in a huff?
You consistently paint a picture of a world that is all roses and perfume. You regularly remind us you are very well paid (by your estimation) and that your employer, and thus ours ,by default of your generalisations only have our best interests at heart.
Don't be surprised when someone points out that you're either lucky to have got this far in life without being shafted or that you're so thick skinned that you wouldn't know you were getting shafted.
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