The EU dimension

Pregnancy and maternity rights at work are heavily influenced by European Union law – the Pregnant Workers Directive and the Equal Treatment Directive.

In addition, tackling work-life balance and the motherhood pay and pension penalty are important issues for the European Commission, which is concerned about the low participation of women in the labour market in its member states.

It is consulting with unions and employers at European level on action, including improvements to maternity leave (the current EU minimum is 14 weeks); maternity pay (which the EU currently requires to be paid at least at the level of sick pay); a new EU right to paternity leave; a new right to leave for carers; greater flexibility in working arrangements for parents and carers; and increasing the length of parental leave (from its current four months), while making it more flexible and paid.

However, UK workers are unlikely to benefit from whatever emerges from these discussions assuming the UK has left the EU by the time it all comes to fruition.

The TUC warned before the referendum vote that “Brexit risks turning the clock back decades” on women’s rights.

Union reps now have an important role to play in ensuring that doesn’t happen.