in UNISON

Motion 42 : Post natal depression and disability discrimination
This motion was not reached and was not prioritised as there is already a comprehensive
UNISON guide to negotiating on maternity rights, and guidance on negotiating reasonable
adjustments.
Highlighted the failure of the Equality Act to cover women suffering postnatal depression.
Called on the NWC to produce guidance on postnatal depression and its potential
relationship with disability status and reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act.
Include maternity rights of disabled women in existing guidance on maternity rights.
Maternity Rights
On 24 July 2015, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and the Equality &
Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published the first findings of their joint, £1m research
study into pregnancy and maternity discrimination at work. Despite the vast majority of the
more than 3,000 employers surveyed reporting the statutory legal rights relating to
pregnancy and maternity to be both reasonable and easy to implement, the study found
that:
As many as 54,000 pregnant women and new mothers - one in nine - are forced out of
their job each year. Single mothers and younger mothers (aged under 25) are at
particular risk, especially during pregnancy and maternity leave, as are women working
in adult social care, childcare, hairdressing and other service occupations.
One in four of the employers surveyed (wrongly) believe that it is reasonable to ask
women candidates about their plans to have children.
One in 10 of the women surveyed said they were discouraged from attending antenatal
appointments, and one in nine reported being encouraged to start maternity leave
earlier than they wanted to.
One in six new mothers reported suffering a negative impact on their health or stress
levels because of poor treatment at work.
UNISON is a partner in the Alliance Against Pregnancy Discrimination, which believes that
the government must take effective action, to include :
Ministers sending a strong message to employers that that there is simply no excuse to
flout the law on pregnancy and maternity discrimination.
Developing a strong, high-profile information campaign aimed at improving both
women’s awareness of their rights, and employers’ understanding of their legal
obligations and the business benefits of ‘doing the right thing’.
Delivering a significant injection of funding into the specialist information and advice
services that women clearly need to help protect their rights at work.
Abolishing - or, at the very least, greatly reducing - the employment tribunal fees of up
to £1,200 introduced in July 2013.
A briefing was issued to all MPs after the release of the report, with information from that
briefing being used to ask questions in the House of Commons. UNISON will continue to
work with the Alliance to campaign on these issues.
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