Discrimination Against Parents: experiences of discrimination in connection with pregnancy and parental leave (Report)
The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) published a report entitled "Discrimination Against Parents: experiences of discrimination in connection with pregnancy and parental leave". This thorough report focuses on the labour market in Denmark, analysing how men and women experience discrimination when deciding to have children or taking parental leave. The report is based on a survey of 1, 589 people, interviews with 18 parents or expecting parents, and interviews with 6 employers from large organisations. The report also includes an analysis of the relevant international and national legal framework, as well as recommendations to tackle the issue.
According to the survey, nearly half of all women and a quarter of men experienced discrimination in connection with pregnancy and parental leave. Both the interviews and survey reveal cases of employers asking about pregnancy at job interviews. In the results of the survey, one in six of all women that had been to a job interview has been asked if they were pregnant or if they were planning to have a child.
"If a common, recurring experience is to be drawn from the employees’ stories, then it is that the discrimination they have experienced has been personally frustrating, tough and has resulted in lasting changes in their working lives." The Danish Institute for Human Rights
As women take much more parental leave than men, they are thus disproportionately more affected by such discriminatory practices.
- promote a more equal distribution of parental leave
- a "parental leave talk" between employee and manager to agree on a post-leave career plan
- a clarification of the legislation to prohibit employers from asking about pregancy and parental leave at job interviews
