My former HR manager said to me, 'Whatever you do as an employer, you never do anything to a pregnant woman!' As a mother herself, she didn't begrudge this employment fact: in 2006, a woman's employment rights are better than they have ever been. However, the difference between the statute books and the reality of the workplace can be huge.
Tommy's, the Baby Charity, is a great resource for information and advice to enable as many women as possible to have a positive pregnancy experience and go through a successful birth. Part of that involves their project called the Pregnancy Accreditation Programme.
This scheme aims to recognise good employment practice in the hope that it will encourage more companies to regard good pregancy working experience as something their whole organisation can be proud of.
Tommy's offers guidance to employers and employees on things like establishing a non-smoking environment (which will of course become compulsory soon, anyway), providing a decent rest area for breaks, risk assessment for a pregnant woman's working conditions, and easy-to-take time off for ante-natal appointments.
All of these things make good business practice and do not neccessarily cost the company involved anything.
Companies who have signed up include Barclays, Nestle, Rolls Royce and First Direct.
If you are a working pregnant woman or an employer, you can find out more about the advice, support and recognition Tommy's can offer by going to the Tommy's website.
