Category: maternity leave
High Court: Covid self-employed support scheme does not unlawfully discriminate against women – UK Human Rights Blog
‘R (The Motherhood Plan and Anor) v HM Treasury [2021] EWHC 309 (Admin). In a judgment handed down on 17 February 2021, the High Court has ruled that the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (“the Scheme”) introduced during the coronavirus pandemic does not indirectly discriminate against self-employed women who have taken a period of leave relating to maternity or pregnancy in the last three tax years.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 26th February 2021
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Government agrees to call pregnant ministers ‘mothers’ – The Independent
‘The government has agreed to change the wording in its new maternity leave legislation from referring to “pregnant people” to “mothers” after the phrasing was rejected by the House of Lords – despite gender-neutral language being government convention.’
The Independent, 26th February 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
MPs pass ‘long overdue’ bill for ministers’ paid maternity leave – The Guardian
‘MPs have voted to give ministers formal paid maternity leave for the first time, hailed as an “important and long overdue change” as the government pledged to bring forward more sweeping maternity protections before the summer recess.’
The Guardian, 11th February 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sharing or Caring? The Delineation of UK Parental Rights – Oxford Human Rights Hub
‘Following the Supreme Court’s refusal to permit an appeal in Chief Constable of Leicestershire v Hextall, the Court of Appeal’s earlier judgment remains binding. In a case which brings the paradoxes inherent in the UK’s system of workplace parental rights into sharp focus, the Court held that it is not discriminatory to pay a man on shared parental leave (SPL) less than an enhanced rate of maternity pay paid to a woman on maternity leave (ML).’
Oxford Human Rights Hub, 7th April 2020
Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
Solicitor wife compensated on divorce for career loss – Legal Futures
‘A solicitor who sacrificed possible partnership at a magic circle law firm to have children has been awarded an extra £400,000 in her divorce settlement with an equity partner at the same firm.’
Legal Futures, 3rd March 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Not discrimination to pay male officers less for shared parental leave than female officers on maternity leave – UK Police Law Blog
‘The Court of Appeal in (1) Capita Customer Management Ltd v Ali & (2) Chief Constable of Leicestershire v Hextall [2019] EWCA Civ 900, has overturned the Employment Appeal Tribunal and held that employees do not unlawfully discriminate against men when when paying them less for shared parental leave than they pay women when taking enhanced maternity pay as part of maternity leave. Such claims are not sex discrimination claims but equal terms claims, to be brought under the Equal Pay Act 1970, which are bound to fail because they relate to terms of work affording special treatment to woman in connection with pregnancy of childbirth. An appeal to the Supreme Court is possible.’
UK Police Law Blog, 29th May 2019
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
Maternity rights bill could make things worse, campaigner says – BBC News
‘A bill which aims to protect women’s jobs when they return to work after giving birth will have little impact, a pregnancy rights campaigner says.’
BBC News, 22nd May 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Commons approves proxy voting trial for new parents – BBC News
‘MPs have unanimously voted to implement a year-long trial of proxy voting for MPs on parental leave.’
BBC News, 29th January 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Pregnant women to get more job protection – BBC News
‘Pregnant women and parents returning to work will receive greater protection from redundancy under new plans. The government proposes extending legal protection against redundancy for pregnant women for six months after they return to work.’
BBC News, 24th January 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Uber to give drivers and couriers sickness and maternity cover – The Guardian
‘Uber is to provide additional protection for its drivers and couriers across Europe, including 70,000 in the UK, with limited insurance against sickness and injury as well as small maternity and paternity payments.’
The Guardian, 23rd May 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
Shared Parental Leave: paying fathers and mothers different rates is discrimination – UK Police Law Blog
‘The Employment Appeal Tribunal has handed down judgment in the appeal case of Hextall v Leicestershire Police UKEAT/0139/17/DA. Mr Hextall is a police officer who took Shared Parental Leave. However, under the informal national policy that exists at the current time in relation to the payment of such leave, he was paid only at the statutory rate and not the enhanced rate paid to mothers taking maternity leave.’
UK Police Law Blog, 3rd May 2018
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
Maternity leave sackings cost £280m a year, says equality watchdog – The Guardian
‘British businesses are losing hundreds of millions of pounds every year as a result of women being forced out of jobs after having a baby, a damning report from the equalities watchdog has revealed.’
The Guardian, 27th October 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Rise in women facing discrimination on taking maternity leave – The Guardian
‘New mothers are facing increasing discrimination when they take maternity leave including being made redundant and switched to zero-hours contracts.’
The Guardian, 21st August 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Back from maternity: Five common challenges and how to overcome them – The Lawyer
‘The job, the team and the clients may all be the same, but most female lawyers who I talk to on their return to work tell me that it’s the new challenges they face which can make it harder than they anticipated to feel like the balance between work, family and career is right.’
The Lawyer, 26th July 2016
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Childcare vouchers and maternity leave – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on childcare vouchers is at odds with the approach taken by most employers.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 9th May 2016
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
