Debate over whether women should tell potential bosses of their baby plans
March 20th, 2011 - 4:01 pm ICT by ANIMelbourne, Mar 20 (ANI): Lord Alan Sugar has sparked intense debate among recruiters and politicians after saying that it’s better for women to confess to baby plans in job interviews.
Alan, a prominent businessman and the boss in the British version of television show ‘The Apprentice’, urged women to be “forthcoming” by declaring their status regarding children and childcare “so as to pre-empt any unaskable questions in the mind of the interviewer”.
“I believe employment regulations for women, whereby the prospective employer is not able to inquire about the interviewee’s status regarding children, childcare, or indeed their intention of becoming a parent are counterproductive,” News.com.au quoted him as saying in the Parliament.
Leader of the Nationals in the senate Barnaby Joyce said it was best just to assume women would want a child and that was “entirely their business”.
However, NSW Shadow Minister for Women Pru Goward said it was blatant sex discrimination.
“Where does it stop? Do you ask a woman whether she has a boyfriend? Why don’t we ask men whether they have had affairs in the office? There are a lot of personal things that would be useful for employers to know but it doesn’t achieve anything and it is offensive,” Goward said.
Federal Women’s Minister Kate Ellis said businesses were required by law to employ people based on merit and not on assumptions - and it should stay that way.
In Australia and the UK employers are prevented by law from asking female applicants if they plan to have kids. (ANI)
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