Survey into experiences of pregnancy at work
A new research report has been published which presents the findings of Ireland's first nationally representative survey of women's experiences at work during and after pregnancy.
Areas surveyed include treatment by employers during pregnancy, health and safety, crisis pregnancy, maternity leave, parental leave and return to work.
The survey, which was commissioned by the Equality Authority in Ireland, also provides the first nationally representative data on the extent to which women experience unfair treatment at work due to pregnancy.
The survey found that:
- Up to 30% reported experiencing unfair treatment even though 71%, reported that they had a supportive employer in the context of their pregnancy.
- Around 5% of women employed during pregnancy reported that they were dismissed, made redundant or treated so badly that they had to leave their job.
- Unfair treatment was more commonly reported by younger women, women expecting their second child, women working in the retail and wholesale sector, women working in organisations with few flexible work arrangements and in workplaces that didn't have a formal equality policy. Unfair treatment was less common among women working for small organizations and in workplaces that had a formal equality policy.
- The most common form of unfair treatment was being assigned unsuitable work or workloads (12%).
- Unfavourable treatment was also experienced by some women returning to work after childbirth. Almost one quarter felt that their opportunities for promotion had decreased on returning to work while over one fifth of women felt that their opportunities for training had decreased.
