desiree goncalves

Many workers long to start a family. However, many working women and their families face a particularly vulnerable period during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and Ireland is usually no exception. Maternity discrimination is a serious matter in which mothers are given unfair treatment at work in relation to their pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding period. These mistreatments range from denying promotions, reducing hours, to dismissal. Offensive comments and jokes about the mother and her baby may also be included. Pregnant women and those caring for young children need special protection to prevent motherhood from harming their health and that of their other children. They need adequate time to give birth to their children, to recover, and to care for their babies. In Ireland the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 prohibits discrimination based on gender, including pregnancy and maternity, making abuse during the period illegal. It also creates protection measures that guarantee that...