#IWD2017
It's smart business practice to look after your employees and one of the most important times to do so is during pregnancy and early motherhood.
A worrying statistic released by the Equality and Human Rights Commission claims that, in Britain, "one in five mothers said they had experienced harassment or negative comments related to pregnancy or flexible working from their employer and /or colleagues; if scaled up to the general population this could mean as many as 100,000 mothers a year".
Having just come back from maternity leave to lead Collas Crill's employment practice in Guernsey and as a working mum of two I'd like to highlight the #WorkingForward initiative put together by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in conjunction with British business to try to change such statistics.
The aim is to make workplaces the best they can be for pregnant women and new mothers. While not legally binding, the initiative aims to assist businesses to support and retain mothers in the workplace, which makes good business sense for both the company and the economy as a whole.
In Guernsey, the Maternity Leave and Adoption Leave (Guernsey) Ordinance, 2016, came into effect 1 April 2016. While these provisions have given women more rights and entitlement than previously, there is still some way to go before they equal the rights afforded women in England and Wales.
Collas Crill is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all its staff. Through its Corporate Social Responsibility framework, Collas Crill supports and challenges not only its own staff but also the community we work in to provide a supportive and forward thinking working environment.
If you would like to make sure the policies and handbooks of your business have been updated to reflect the new laws and current best practice, or would like to know more about your individual rights as a working parent - please get in touch.