Ryan FowlerThe Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published an updated toolkit aimed at helping employers prevent pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace, reflecting recent changes in law effective from April 2024.
The toolkit outlines necessary actions for employers to protect their staff from discrimination before, during, and after maternity leave. It includes new requirements such as:
- Extending redundancy protection for pregnant women and those on maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave.
- Prioritising these employees for suitable alternative roles in redundancy situations.
- Granting the right to request flexible working from the first day of employment.
- Making paternity leave more flexible.
Employers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with this guidance to ensure their policies offer full legal protections to pregnant employees and those taking parental leave.
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “As Britain’s equality watchdog, we have a duty to explain the law around pregnancy and maternity rights to employers, employees and the public.
“An employer understanding their legal duties is the foundation of equality in the workplace. Our revised toolkit explains those legal obligations and provides employers with practical advice on how they can best support pregnant women at work and ensure those staff taking parental leave are not discriminated against.”
