'Pregnant workers badly treated'

Most bosses fail to properly manage pregnant staff and many mums feel badly treated at work after maternity leave, a report claims.

Over 2,000 mums were surveyed by the Equal Opportunities Commission which found just half were fully aware of their rights at work while pregnant, or returning to their job.

One in six women believed they were poorly treated by bosses during pregnancy while one in four complained about their treatment on return to work.

There is a "knowledge gap" among managers, the commission said, following a two-year investigation which found smaller firms face particular problems as managers have little experience of dealing with pregnant staff.

EOC chairwoman Jenny Watson said: "Women are now nearly half the workforce. There's no turning back from this major social change, so it's vital that workplaces are equipped to make pregnancy at work a good experience.

"If we fail to tackle the knowledge gap surrounding the rights of pregnant women and new parents at work, we run the risk of seeing these women drop out of the workforce altogether."

She continued: "Those who have been unfairly treated whilst pregnant suffer financially and emotionally and are far less likely to return to their jobs.

"As well as damaging families, this costs employers millions in recruitment and training and causes significant damage to Britain's economic productivity."

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