Should women disclose pregnancy plans at interview stage?

Worrying statistics have recently revealed that 59% of UK employers still believe that a woman should disclose not just that she is pregnant, but she should also mention any future pregnancy plans at job interviews.

Another concerning figure showed that 49% of UK employers felt it was acceptable to ask female candidates if they had young children.

It is essential that upon considering job applicants, employers must not treat female applicants unfavourably based on:

• Pregnancy
• Likeliness on becoming pregnant
• Child bearing age

It is unlawful for recruiters to consider that a woman is pregnant or might become pregnant, when making recruitment decisions, as it is not relevant to whether she is suitable for the job role. It is also against the law to not recruit a female candidate due to already having children.

Employers need to be mindful of other questions asked during the interview process that should also be avoided, these include:

• Age
• Race, ethnicity, or colour
• Gender or sex
• Nationality or place of birth
• Religion
• Disability
• Marital or family status or pregnancy

The Aspire HR Team can assist with recruitment projects, to ensure you avoid any risks of discrimination during the recruitment process and provide assistance with the implementation of ‘Family Friendly’ policies to ensure the fair treatment of your employees.