Protecting Adults With Caregiving Responsibilities From Workplace Discrimination: Analysis of National Legislation

Bose, B. and Quiñones, F. and Moreno, G. and Raub, A. and Huh, K. and Heymann, J. (2020) Protecting Adults With Caregiving Responsibilities From Workplace Discrimination: Analysis of National Legislation. [Publications (Pre-joining)]

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Abstract

Objective This study is the first to analyze the global extent of national legislation to prevent workplace discrimination against adults with caregiving responsibilities. Background Studies indicate the existence of substantial discrimination based on pregnancy and family status. Research has also demonstrated that laws against workplace discrimination can reduce disparities in hiring, job retention, and pay. However, little is known about the extent to which countries legally prohibit discrimination against caregivers. Method This article describes a novel database of national laws against workplace discrimination on the basis of marital status, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and family status in 193 United Nations member states. The study examines protections against discrimination in hiring, promotion and/or demotion, access to employer‐provided vocational training, compensation, and termination as well as protections against indirect discrimination, testing whether any specific work dimension or aspect of caregiving has received particular attention in legislation. Results A large majority of countries worldwide protect against sex‐based workplace discrimination in all five work dimensions under study, but only about one third protect against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy status, family responsibilities, and marital status, and a negligible proportion protect against discrimination on the basis of breastfeeding status. Protections also vary across dimensions of work. Conclusions These findings indicate that only a minority of countries guarantee caregivers some level of legislative protection from workplace discrimination, which disproportionately leads to job or pay loss for women with caretaking responsibilities. More and better‐targeted laws and policies to combat the discrimination that women with family responsibilities face at work are needed worldwide.

Item Type:	Publications (Pre-joining)
Authors:	Bose, B. and Quiñones, F. and Moreno, G. and Raub, A. and Huh, K. and Heymann, J.
Document Language:	Language English
Subjects:	Social sciences > Sociology & anthropology Social sciences > Social problems & services
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > School of Development
Full Text Status:	Restricted
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/6637
Publisher URL:	https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12660

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