Fifth of working parents report unfair treatment during pandemic, charity warns

One in five working families believe they have been treated less fairly at work because of their childcare responsibilities during the virus crisis, according to a new study.

Work-life balance charity Working Families said its survey of 746 working parents found those who work part-time are more likely to feel they have been treated differently since the start of the pandemic.

The association said its poll supported its call for caring responsibilities to be covered by the Equality Act, providing a legal basis to tackle workplace discrimination against parents and siblings. guardians.

Jane van Zyl, chief executive of Working Families, said: “At the height of the lockdown, the Prime Minister made it clear that parents must be “defended and protected” if they cannot work because they cannot receive the childcare services they need.

“But there is currently no legal or regulatory mechanism to defend or protect working parents as the Prime Minister suggests.

“In terms of childcare, we have certainly not returned to the status quo: since the reopening of schools in September, parents have continued to fight, to manage staggered school schedules, gaps in childcare provision global situation and the ever-present risk of being forced to call on childcare services to isolate themselves.

“With millions of parents facing unfair treatment at work simply because they have caring responsibilities, and waves of Covid-related layoffs looming, now is the time for the Government to act and do something being a parent or carer a protected characteristic.