MOTHERS - RETURNING TO WORK AFTER HAVING A BABY The decision as to whether you, as a mother should return to work after childbirth is not an easy one. This is particularly so in a world where women put under pressure to be “good mums” when faced with the fact that their incomes are required to sustain the family’s standard of living. It is worthy of note that around two thirds of mothers now return to work after having a baby, an increase of 50 per cent since 1988 when less than half (45%) returned. Additionally, a quarter of fathers change their working patterns after the birth of their baby, often by reducing their hours. Maternity rights legislation has been operating in the UK with only minor changes since 1979. Under these rules a mother who has worked with the same employer for two years and who has stopped working later than 11 weeks before the expected due date can take up to 29 weeks leave after the birth and be guaranteed a return to their previous job. Usually, for 18 weeks, the mother is financially compensated after which any further leave taken is unpaid. At what time you return to work after compulsory maternity leave is for you to decide in discussion with your employer and detailed information about maternity leave can be found in DTI’s comprehensive guidance on maternity rights. Whilst returning to an old job is an obvious option, this may not always be the most practical solution, particularly for single parent families or where the mother’s partner has extensive and unavoidable work commitments also. Where it is not practical to return full time to their previous jobs, a number of options are available. Part-Time Working or Job-Share. Many employers may be prepared to take new mothers back on a part-time basis so as to allow the mother to come back into the workplace whilst maintaining the flexibility required for childcare. This clearly benefits both the mother and the employer in that the employer has the return of a valued member of staff whereas the mother can quickly re-adjust to being back at work in a familiar environment. Working from Home. Some employers may also be willing for their previous employee to “telecommute”. This, in essence, will involve the new mother going back to her old job, but working at it from home, usually via e-mail and a specially enabled computer or laptop. Depending on the nature of the job, the employer may wish for the new mother to spend a specified time back in the main office but agreements of this sort are usually made amicably and to the satisfaction of both parties. Of course, a new mother may not wish to go back to her previous employer and may decide to become self-employed and work from home either as a freelancer or by setting up a home business. This is a particularly brave strategy as setting up and running a new business is very hard work without the added distractions of childcare thrown in on top. However, many women find this to be a workable solution and several successful businesses have been started in just this way. Finding Support. In the information age, the internet has enables the creation of many support groups, and indeed commercial companies, that have been primarily designed to help women return to work after childbirth. See www.workingmums.co.uk for one such example. |
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