The Requirement for Employers to Allow Maternity Leave under United Essay

The Requirement for Employers to Allow Maternity Leave under United Kingdom Law Is a Disadvantage to Women in the Workplace - Essay Example This paper illustrates that many have argued that maternity leave is disadvantageous for working women since it holds back women’s progress in the workplace. Under the present UK law, a working woman who gives birth to a child is allowed to take maternity leave up to a year. For six weeks they are paid 90 percent of their usual salary, but after that, they rules vary and it can be around  £ 135 per week or even less than that. But maternity leave is becoming a huge burden on many businesses and women. The legislation thus directs many employers not to employ women and the companies are reluctant to give jobs to women of childbearing age. This part of the legislation, which is called family-friendly legislation, is wrong and needs to be abandoned. Many ordinary women in ordinary jobs do badly when they take advantage of the family-friendly legislation. When they join their work it becomes difficult for them to return to their earlier earnings and they don’t get their p ension rights when they were away. But organizations display a good pretty picture of the facilities which they offer to their working new mother. But the reality is actually very different. The new mother has to abandon her job for a fixed term. After first six weeks, her income possibly falls huskily and it takes her time to return back to normal salary level. These statutory benefits and provisions create a perverse incentive for a short term to return to work against what might be a longer-term interest. It is important to understand that the decision whether to return to work or not is difficult and individual. This may include personal inclination, circumstances, family income, costs at home, job and childcare.