From Jo Lyon and Chris Parke

Welcome to the latest issue of the Talking Talent E-update for HR and business professionals and Talking Talent members. The newsletter brings together in one place the latest issues surrounding maternity, working parents and broader gender diversity. We will also keep you abreast of any exciting events and developments at Talking Talent which is continuing to make giant strides following its launch in November last year.

We would love to hear any feedback that you may have->.

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Personnel Today - The DTI seeks feedback on paternity leave rights
A new Department of Trade and Industry consultation on paternity leave and pay published recently focuses on giving working parents the right to choose who cares for a child in their first year of life.

The Times - Tax breaks on childcare
Childcare can cost £30,000 a year, but a little-known tax break will help to ease the burden.



The Times - The gender pay gap in Britain is the worst in Europe
A Government commission recommended the wholesale reform of Britain's career education system today to try to close the country's gender pay gap, which is the worst in Europe.



BBC News - Discrimination against pregnant women continues  
Every year, 30,000 women are sacked or forced out of their jobs because of pregnancy and 200,000 more face discrimination, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission.

 
The Economist - The importance of sex
Forget China, India and the internet: economic growth is driven by women. Even today, surveys show that parents still prefer to have a boy rather than a girl. The Economist reveals why girls may now be a better investment...

 
Mothers' job prospects are worst of all
According to research, women who have children are 40% less likely to get a job offer than the average able bodied man. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation also found that 75% of companies using recruitment consultants specifically ask not to find candidates who are pregnant or of child bearing age.

Talking Talent is continuing to deliver innovative interventions to leading blue chip clients in the maternity and gender diversity space. Below are some examples of work we have started since we last contacted you.

Coaching
We are providing specialist maternity coaching to Linklaters' solicitors and support staff at a variety of levels across their practice. The coaching will be delivered over three stages, pre-materity, pre-return and on return to work. A further client using our one-to-one and group coaching offerings is Euronext Liffe. We have also coached senior individuals from organisations such as Unilever, Mars and Dyson.

To hear more about our innovative 1-to-1 and group maternity coaching, or our 'Manager of maternity' development courses for Line/HR managers, contact us.

Surveys and diagnostics
Talking Talent are working with another of the magic circle law firm to run some diagnostic surveys on women's experience of maternity and the return to work. The study, which involves use of questionnaires, focus groups and senior level interviews, will help Talking Talent make recommendations on how policy and practice can be improved. The objective is to better support women through this complex transition and in their continued career.

A leading UK pharmacy retail group has asked Talking Talent for a similar piece of research in order to improve the way they support their women.

Talking Talent Research
Talking Talent are continuing to run leading-edge research studies in the areas of maternity and gender diversity. The research is building on the study that formed an INSEAD thesis, taking a clinical look at the transition women make when returning to work following maternity.

Studies that Talking Talent are conducting over the next few months include:

Research on hospital doctors and their experience of maternity with help from the Medical Women's Group
A cross cultural study of women's experience of maternity and combining work and motherhood involving Imperial College, Tanaka Business School's MBA alumni
A research study with help from the Women Solicitors Network
A number of studies for private clients

To keep abreast of the results to our research studies keep reading our newsletters or get in touch with us.

Thirty years after The Equal Pay Act and women are still being discriminated against when it comes to levels of pay compared with their male colleagues.

Is this down to the fact that some women take more time out of their careers to fulfil their role as mothers or are part-time or flexible employees regarded as less commited and less easy to manage...?

Changes in maternity-leave legislation could lead to staff being away from work for the best part of a year. Parental and carer's leave provisions can also result in staff members — both men and women — being absent for extended periods.

Does this mean that businesses will shoulder the burden as parents make the most of the changes in the law in their favour? Will women find it even harder to return to work after a longer break...?

Talking Talent's employment lawyer Deborah Amlot has put together a list of the most recent legal cases which inform the maternity, flexible working and gender diversity space. For more information or advice from Deborah please send an e-mail to info@talking-talent.com

This month we review six cases ranging from placing the burden of proof of discrimination to the rights of part time working mothers.