Employers should do more to help parents returning to work, says TUC

28 November 2014

Responding to research published today (Friday) by the National Childbirth Trust – on parents’ experiences of returning to work after the birth of a child – TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“This new research shows that employers need to do more to ensure that when their female employees go back to work after their maternity leave is over, their return is as straightforward and as stress-free as possible.

“The combination of the UK’s long hours culture and the notion that the male is the traditional breadwinner is no longer a model that works for modern families.

“New mums and dads want the option to work flexibly, and if they do opt to work part-time, they would like their jobs to be both high quality and well-paid.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Next week the TUC is publishing The Pregnancy Test – a new report which looks at how to end the discrimination that mums-to-be or new mums experience. It lists ten wrongs describing how pregnant women are mistreated, and makes five suggestions of changes that could happen to make work more compatible with motherhood.
- The report is being launched at a lunchtime event in Westminster on Tuesday (2 December) with Equalities Minister Jo Swinson MP, Shadow Equalities Minister Sharon Hodgson MP and Guardian and Grazia columnist Gaby Hinsliff. The event at Church House (Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3NZ) runs from noon until 2pm and a light lunch will be provided. If you would like to attend, please contact the press office.
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews
Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen   T: 020 7467 1388    M: 07778 158175   E: media@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols   T: 020 7467 1337   M: 07876 452902  E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk
Clare Santry   T: 020 7467 1372    M: 07717 531150   E: csantry@tuc.org.uk