New mothers suffer a cumulative loss of income of £66,434 over the following decade
Independent think-tank, the Social Market Foundation (“SMF”), has launched a cross-party parliamentary commission on childcare and its implications for mothers.
Independent think-tank, the Social Market Foundation (“SMF”), has launched a cross-party parliamentary commission on childcare and its implications for mothers.
SMF’s study concluded that a woman who had her first child in 2010/11 will have suffered a cumulative income loss of £66,434 in comparison to a woman with no children whose career has progressed and wages increased during this time. These figures do not take into account the additional spending that parents face.
The data showed that, women who were aged 25-35 in 2009/10 who remained childless would have a wage increase of around 30% over the course of the following decade, whereas women who had a first child in 2010/11 were earning 10% less.
SMF reported that many parents work less often due to the high costs and limited availability of childcare. Over time, this has led to a reduction of earnings, stalled wage growth and limited career progression for new mothers. SMF found in the first three years of having their babies, women on lower wages took a 30% wage cut and women on higher wages took a 20% cut.
To avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination and promote gender equality employers should ensure that their Equal Opportunities Policy covers amongst other areas, requests for flexible working, leave for parents, pay and benefits, and terms and selection for promotions.
Employers should carefully consider flexible working requests, such as flexible start/finish times or work from home. Also, time should be taken when making promotion decisions and a record kept of how these decisions were made to avoid unconscious bias. Employers should consider how metrics are used to determine whether an employee should be promoted to ensure that mothers are not unfairly disadvantaged, e.g. by working part time.
You may be interested in...
Opinion
Mopping up after a leak – how businesses can take steps to protect their confidential information
Online Event
Wellbeing and financial considerations – practical solutions for challenging times
Press Release
Browne Jacobson collaborates with The GLAA and University of Nottingham to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking
In Person Event
Navigating your way through high profile sensitive reviews and investigations
Opinion
Junior doctors vote unanimously in favour of strike action
Legal Update
Teacher strikes – lessons learnt so far
Opinion
Can toilet facilities amount to sex discrimination?
Opinion
Consultation launched on minimum ambulance service levels during strike action
Opinion - Maternity services
Changes to redundancy protections for employees post-maternity leave
Online Event
Flexible working in schools webinar
Opinion
BMA issues medical locum rate card for junior doctors
Legal Update
Employee who refused to wear a face mask fairly dismissed
Opinion
New toolkit to support safer recruitment in the care sector
On-Demand
Employment update webinar
Opinion
Term-time school worker entitled to national minimum wage for unworked basic hours
On-Demand
Industrial action essentials: what you need to know
Opinion
Fire and re-hire – draft statutory code
Opinion
Menopause and the workplace
Legal Update
Trade unions announce plans to re-ballot members
Legal Update
Widespread industrial action now confirmed for schools
Legal Update
Industrial action and minimum service levels within education
Opinion
Consultation on holiday entitlement – part-year and irregular workers
Guide
FAQs - converting to academy status
Opinion
Government introduces new “anti-striking laws” to be discussed in Parliament
Opinion
Twitter facing employment claims following mass redundancies
News that Twitter is being threatened with multiple claims by UK employees following mass redundancies provides a reminder of the risks that comes with an employer implementing large scale redundancy exercises.
Legal Update
Industrial Action and Minimum Service Levels
Legal Update
Discrimination comes of age
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: Looking ahead to 2023 – what Health and Care employers need to know
Opinion
Rising Employment Tribunal backlog
Legal Update
Official statistics demonstrate a new wave of age discrimination claims
Opinion
Menopause and the NHS workforce addressing the female brain drain…
Opinion
4-day working week a success?
The Covid-19 pandemic drastically changed the world’s way of working, with increased flexibility being greatly desired by employees. Earlier on in the year, a number of organisations trialled the concept of a 4-day working week – which has clearly been a success for many.Guide
Recruiting school staff on a budget – top tips
Regardless of the outcome of ballots on industrial action, unless there is drastic change to funding for schools in relation to pay increases, it will be unusual to find any organisational budget that is not impacted by the current economic situation.
Legal Update
Coming of age
Official statistics show that 15,336 claims which included a complaint of age discrimination were received at the Employment Tribunals between March 2020 and March 2021.
Published Article
Starling Bank employment tribunal
The outcome of the Employment Tribunal claim brought by Gulnaz Raja against Starling Bank Limited (1) (Starling), and Matthew Newman (2) was reported last month.
Published Article
How AI and technology can transform the healthcare sector
Published Article
EU banks show slow progress on gender diversity
Opinion
BMA advises consultants not to accept less than the BMA minimum rate card for extra-contractual work
The BMA is advising all NHS / HSCNI consultants to ensure extra-contractual work is paid at the BMA minimum recommended rate and to decline offers of extra-contractual work that doesn't value them appropriately.
Opinion
Rising wages ahead
In the Autumn Statement delivered on 17 November, rises to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates were announced, to take effect from 1 April 2023.
Opinion
World Cup 2022 – how employers can avoid scoring an own goal!
The World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Sunday 20 November 2022, with the final taking place on Sunday 18 December 2022. Undoubtedly, this is a huge sporting event, and many employees will be keen to show their support for their favourite teams. However, due to the time difference, start times for the matches are between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. UK time, which could have an impact on employers if employees who wish to watch the matches are scheduled to work.