Women should be promoted while they’re on maternity leave if they’re the best candidate

EMPLOYMENT Minister Michaelia Cash wants businesses to promote women while they’re pregnant or on maternity leave if they are the best candidate.

EMPLOYMENT Minister Michaelia Cash has encouraged businesses to promote women while they’re pregnant or on maternity leave if they are the best candidate for the job.

The Minister, who also holds portfolio responsibility for women’s issues, said more needed to be done to boost Australia’s maternal workforce participation and businesses should get on board.

“Any promotion in a workplace should go to the best candidate, regardless of gender or circumstances, including pregnancy,” Senator Cash told News Corp Australia.

“While there are a record 5.6 million women in the workforce, if more women can be encouraged to work, that’s more talent available to employers and to benefit our economy.”

Senator Cash’s comments come amid a push for employers to challenge traditional notions that often see women overlooked for promotions while on maternity leave.

Minister for Employment and Women Michaelia Cash says more should be done to encourage mothers to stay in the workforce. Picture: AAP

According to OECD figures Australia’s maternal workforce has stagnated at around 64 per cent since 2008, well below many comparable countries.

Maternal employment participation rates are 20 percentage points higher in Sweden and 4.2 percentage points higher in the UK.

Labor’s women spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said it was “disgraceful” that one in three mothers report being discriminated against while pregnant, on maternity leave or returning to work.

“Employers should not discriminate against the best candidate because she’s on maternity leave,” Ms Plibersek said.

“It’s good for businesses to promote talented employees, and often they will be working mums.”

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One in three mothers report being discriminated against while pregnant, on maternity leave or returning to work. Picture: iStock

Jennifer Westacott, Business Council of Australia CEO said companies needed to see the benefit of retaining good women in the workforce and keeping them engaged throughout periods of maternity leave.

“Measures which keep women engaged throughout their maternity leave are a low-cost investment in the talent pipeline. Companies that invest in these measures see it paying off with higher shares of women in senior roles and far lower resignation rates,” Ms Westacott said.

“When companies lose women from their workforce when they become mothers, they also lose the company specific skills and knowledge that those women have accrued — it makes sense to try and hold on to these workers.”

Jan O'Keefe with her 3 year old son Xavier and 11 month old son Flynn. Picture: Michael Klein

Jan O’Keefe, General Manager of ahm — one of the country’s fastest growing health insurance brands and a subsidiary of one of the largest health insurers Medibank — was promoted twice while on maternity leave, but knows she is the exception.

Ms O’Keefe has two boys Xavier, 3, and Flynn, 11-months, and each time that she was on leave with them her boss called her to offer her a promotion.

“The first time I just couldn’t believe it, I was so grateful that my boss had been thinking of me,” Ms O’Keefe said.

“The second time I remember I was surrounded by washing and my brain was baby mush when my boss called.

“It’s hard when you’re on maternity leave because you feel isolated from work.”

Ms O’Keefe said throughout both sets of her maternity leave she kept in touch with people from work which helped her remain on their radar. She also had an upfront conversation with her boss before going on leave about the type of roles she would like coming back.

Ms O’Keefe however said it should be normal for mothers to be considered for promotions even when on maternity leave.

“I feel like it shouldn’t be that uncommon. You become a better leader after you have children — you know how to better organise and time manage.

“And you’re still an employee when you’re on maternity leave so you should be in the picture for new roles.”

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