15. Jun 2010
Discrimination on grounds of pregnancy
The Gender Equality Act, §3 prohibits direct and indirect differential treatment of women and men. However, discrimination on the basis of pregnancy is the one area about which the Ombud receives most enquiries.
Complaints to the Ombud apply to the employment process, questions about the time of commencement for those on parental leave, wages development for employees on leave and changes of people on maternity leave, wages development for employees on leave and changes to working tasks after leave.
Problems arise often in connection with substitutes and temporary contracts. The typical situation is that women with temporary jobs do not have their working relationships extended when they are pregnant or go on maternity leave.